White Sox prospect Mitchell hurt

Mar 13, 2010 - 12:00 AM By JANIE McCAULEY AP Baseball Writer

TEMPE, Ariz.(AP) -- Chicago White Sox outfield prospect Jared Mitchell sprained his right ankle while making a spectacular, against-the-wall catch on a drive off the bat of Juan Rivera in a 10-7 split-squad win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.

Mitchell was carted off the field and taken to the hospital for X-rays.

"They say for now it's a sprained ankle," bench coach and acting White Sox manager Joey Cora said. "They don't think it's a break but they're checking the ligaments."

Skipper Ozzie Guillen traveled with the other half of the team to Las Vegas for two games against the Cubs.

Taken by Chicago 23rd overall in last June's amateur draft, Mitchell had just entered in left field as a defensive replacement and he recorded the first out of the sixth inning on the play. He went down hard, and trainers rushed out to check on him. Mitchell's right leg was straight when he left on the cart several minutes later.

Mitchell had been assigned to minor league camp Wednesday, but was added to the travel roster for the split-squad game.

The 21-year-old Mitchell is among the club's top prospects despite minimal experience in the minor leagues so far after being drafted out of Louisiana State. He batted .296 with 12 doubles, two triples and 10 RBIs in 34 games last year for Class A Kannapolis of the South Atlantic League.

Mitchell won national championships in baseball and as a wide receiver on LSU's football team.