MLB comes to uptown Charlotte for a night. Here are 5 storylines

Major League Baseball pays a visit to Charlotte on Monday night, with the Chicago White Sox in town for an exhibition game against the Charlotte Knights, their AAA farm team.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at uptown’s BB&T Ballpark.

It’s the fourth-ever meeting between the two clubs and the first since 2015, when the White Sox launched the Knights’ first season at the then-new uptown baseball stadium.

Here are some storylines to consider in advance of Monday night’s game:

1. Why are the White Sox playing in Charlotte?

The Knights say it’s a way of celebrating the 20th season of the Chicago-Charlotte affiliation. But it also serves the purpose of helping the White Sox get prepared for colder weather that they’ll experience when the season opens Thursday in Kansas City.

That will be cold enough, but the White Sox will be only a few miles from chilly Lake Michigan for their April 5 home opener against Detroit. Chicago’s spring training site is the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona.

2. Who will play for the White Sox?

No official announcement has been made, but fans probably will see Chicago’s starters on Monday evening, at least for the first few innings. That includes former Knights’ players Yoan Moncada (the White Sox’ leadoff hitter), Matt Davidson (cleanup) and Nicky Delmonico (No. 5 spot). All-Star Jose Abreu is injured and unlikely to play.

3. Who do the Knights have?

The team’s 2018 roster has not been announced, but right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech, Chicago’s No. 2 prospect (and No. 10 prospect in MLB overall) is almost certain to start the season in Charlotte. Outfielder Ryan Cordell, traded to Chicago from Milwaukee, hit .284 in AAA last season and appears ticketed for the Knights.

Chicago’s top prospect, 21-year-old outfielder Eloy Jimenez, will start the season either at the AA or AAA level. No. 3 prospect Luis Robert, an outfielder, is out until June with a thumb injury.

4. Who manages the Knights this year?

Former big-leaguer Mark Grudzielanek is back for his second year at the helm of the Knights. Also returning is the coaching staff, including Union County native Andy Tomberlin, who led Unionville Piedmont High to the state 2A baseball title in 1984.

5. When does the regular season start?

The Knights open the International League season April 5 at Durham. The home opener is April 12 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, top affiliate of the New York Yankees.

This story was originally published March 25, 2018 at 6:31 PM with the headline "MLB comes to uptown Charlotte for a night. Here are 5 storylines."