Chicago White Sox third baseman Brent Morel begins his rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday night, as the team announced on its website. Morel was placed on the disabled list on May 22, retroactive to May 18, with a lumbar back strain.
Morel, 25, struggled badly as the White Sox's primary third baseman before ultimately being placed on the disabled list a couple weeks ago. Over 125 plate appearances, he hit an embarrassing .177/.225/.195 with just seven walks, two doubles and zero home runs.
The third baseman has fared much better in the minor leagues, including an 81-game stint with Charlotte in 2010 during which he hit .320, but he needs to prove that success can translate to the big leagues. Other than a surprising power surge at the end of last season, Morel really has never looked like a legit major league regular.
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