GLENDALE, Ariz. — The plan for right-hander Vince Velasquez, whom the White Sox officially signed to a one-year, $3 million contract Monday, is to add him to the mix of potential starters.
You never can have enough pitching, general manager Rick Hahn said. Especially in a shortened spring training after a lockout that prevented pitchers from having contact with coaches and staff.
Velasquez, 29, posted a combined 6.30 ERA last season with the Phillies and Padres, but his career 4.95 ERA, strikeout stuff and having a 17-strikeout game on his résumé were enough to interest the Sox.
‘‘He has experience starting, experience relieving,’’ Hahn said. ‘‘We are going to stretch him and [Reynaldo Lopez] out this camp. The best-case scenario for any starter, regardless of what his name is and which camp he’s in, is to get to five innings in Cactus League games. You won’t have your traditional length to start the season. Having as many quality arms that can give us multiple innings is a good thing to have.’’
Velasquez and Lopez fall in behind Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease, Dallas Keuchel and Michael Kopech. Giolito and Kopech, who is slightly behind the group because of an illness that halted his throwing in January, threw their first bullpen sessions Monday.
More moves to come?
Hahn said the development of Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets has to continue in the majors, suggesting they well might patrol right field, as opposed to a free agent or trade acquisition. The Sox also have Adam Engel to play right.
‘‘Building something long-term sustainable is reliant on having your own young players produce,’’ Hahn said.
Vaughn and Sheets also can get at-bats at designated hitter and first base.
Reliever Craig Kimbrel, mentioned as a potential trade piece in November, won’t necessarily be dealt, Hahn said.
‘‘He’s very much a viable piece on a championship club,’’ Hahn said. ‘‘It remains to be seen exactly if that’s going to be here, but we are preparing as if it will be.’’
Conditioning not for Lynn
No Sox pitcher is further along in his throwing progression than All-Star right-hander Lynn, who said he’s good to go after pitching through a sore knee last season. Lynn faced hitters during the lockout to ensure he would be ready for Opening Day.
‘‘Just took awhile to rest up, then as the offseason progressed I was able to do more and more,’’ Lynn said. ‘‘It’s just one of those things [that], when you get older, you’ve got to do more tedious things. All the boring things you don’t want to do when you’re young, like stretch, you have to do them now.’’
As for conditioning, the 6-5, 270-pounder shrugged at that one.
‘‘I’m not big on conditioning ever,’’ he said. ‘‘What, you have to run it across home plate to get anybody out? When we start doing that, that’s when I’m done.’’
Minor deals
The Sox agreed to terms on minor-league contracts and non-roster invitations to spring training with seven free agents: right-hander Kyle Crick, left-handers Wes Benjamin, Brandon Finnegan and Yacksel Rios, catcher Nick Ciuffo and outfielders Luis Basabe and Dwight Smith Jr.
Outfielder Yoelqui Cespedes, infielders Jose Rodriguez and Zach Remillard, right-handers Caleb Freeman, Tyler Johnson, Kade McClure and Emilio Vargas, left-handers Tanner Banks, Andrew Perez and Hunter Schryver and catchers Carlos Perez and Xavier Fernandez received invites to major-league camp from within the system.
Harrison on deck
Free-agent second baseman Josh Harrison’s signing might be made official Tuesday.
