Micker Adolfo Finds Upside In Elbow Surgery

Keeping track of prospects recovering from Tommy John surgery is keeping the White Sox busy, and not all of them are pitchers.

Reliever Zack Burdi is up and running after having it in July 2017.

Starter Michael Kopech won’t be back on the mound until next spring after having it in September.

Add promising pitching prospect Dane Dunning to the list after he had Tommy John on March 18.

Micker Adolfo is also on the list, and the 22-year-old outfielder should suit up for Double-A Birmingham in late April or May.

Last spring, Adolfo partially tore his elbow ligament in big league camp. He rested it and was able to DH for high Class A Winston-Salem during the first half.

When he started a throwing program in June, Adolfo’s season came to a quick end.

“Resting it and just DH-ing, it kind of healed on its own,” Adolfo said. “I got to the final day of the throwing program and was supposed to get back to playing outfield. I guess I hadn’t built enough strength and I felt that pop again. It was definitely devastating because I was having such a good season.”

In 79 games in the Carolina League, Adolfo hit .282/.369/.464 with 11 home runs and 50 RBIs. He will DH again this season at Double-A after he is cleared to play right field.

“I feel good,” Adolfo said. “It was hard being out, but mentally it made me a lot stronger . . . My swing feels good and my elbow has really loosened up. I feel so positive and I have so much confidence in what I can do.”

Adolfo, who signed for $1.6 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, had one of the best throwing arms in the system before having elbow surgery.

When he’s fully recovered, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Adolfo wants to resume playing outfield.

“I’ve always taken a lot of pride in my defense,” Adolfo said. “Rehabbing from the surgery, I learned a lot about my body and I did a lot of work on muscles I never worked on before. Nobody wants to go through something like this, but I’m taking it as a positive.”