The White Sox need outfield help. A quick glance at the club's 40-man roster shows an incomplete picture with a chest of misfit toys and while there are humans listed as outfielders, they seem to be mere placeholders at this stage. The club decided to non-tender 30-year-old outfielder Adam Engel last week ending his run with the team after a fairly successful stint under the circumstances.
Engel was drafted in the 19th round out of Louisville way back in 2013, and while he struggled in many areas in 2022, the defensive standout did provide just over 5 fWAR for the White Sox in portions of six major league seasons. His career should be a seen as a scouting and development accomplishment for the organization. The 30-year-old local product Mark Payton wasn't provided with a contract for 2023 either and the outfielder will become a free agent after launching 25 homers with the Charlotte Knights last year prior to an eight-game big league sample.
Previously, 34-year-old outfielder A.J. Pollock decided to decline his player option to become a free agent as well. In line to collect $13 million for the 2023 season, the veteran accepted a $5 million buyout instead and will look to find work elsewhere for next season. Expected to answer the bell against righties and lefties in 2022 for a contending club, Pollock instead trudged his way to a 92 wRC+ with 14 homers over the course of 138 games.
Current Roster Fits
Luis Robert is the only true outfielder on the Pale Hose roster right now. Andrew Vaughn, Gavin Sheets and Eloy Jiménez have moonlighted in both corners but early indications are that the club isn't planning to deploy this triumvirate out of position any longer. The oft-injured Jiménez settled in as the designated hitter more frequently to close out last season after some initial apprehension.
Sheets has shown an ability to hit righties at times and Vaughn will take over as the primary first baseman, following in the footsteps of José Abreu after his nine-year run with the team. The former third-overall pick out of California might be the worst defensive outfielder in the sport and Rick Hahn stated similarly, albeit much more diplomatically.
“Vaughn is a first baseman. That’s how he was drafted,” Hahn said of the 24-year-old slugger. “Does it mean he’s going to be our first baseman next year? Not necessarily. He wasn’t either of the past two seasons. But in the end, his best defensive position is first base and perhaps ultimately when the time comes and he settles into that position, you are asking a lot less of him and perhaps that even increases his offensive production as a result.”
The franchise is banking on Vaughn becoming a cornerstone offensive piece and a move back to his original position should be a step in the right direction. The 24-year-old hit .271/.321/.429 with 17 homers and a 113 wRC+ in 134 games. He battled lower body ailments for the majority of the season and keeping his legs fresh seems to be a priority for the front office in 2023.
There aren't many internal options to save the 2023 White Sox, but Cuban slugger Oscar Colás looks like one of the favorites for an outfield corner. The 24-year-old clubbed 23 homers and played 117 games for three minor league affiliates. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pounder really took off in Double-A when he hit .306/.364/.563 with a 139 wRC+ in 225 plate appearances. Colás started the season posting a 129 wRC+ with the Dash in High-A and finished on a seven-game tear in Charlotte, where he slashed .387/.424/.645.
Colás needs to walk more and cut down on the strikeouts, but he performed well against left-handed pitching and handled center field, indicating that above-average defense in an outfield corner is possible. With three holes on the outfield depth chart, filling one internally with a potential long-term answer would be a boon for the organization.
Hahn said that the franchise wouldn't be opposed to the Cuban outfielder contributing from the outset in 2023. “I don’t think Opening Day is necessarily too much of an ask,” said Hahn at baseball’s general managers meetings earlier this month. “We’ll head to camp and see where we’re at. Obviously, there will be offseason check-ins as well and see where the progress is at. But he impressed us last year and is on a real good trajectory to contribute in a meaningful way as soon as next year.”
External Options
Lineup flexibility has been sought for years but acquiring that balance has seemed like lip service from the front office. The White Sox have deployed a roster heavily reliant on righties for too long and with recent departures, balance can finally be achieved. It won't be easy due to budget constraints evidently imposed by ownership and a thin minor league system to trade from but multiple outfielders will be added to the club this off-season.
There are myriad options that make sense available on the free agent market. 31-year-old Aaron Judge is the prize of the free agent class but he won't be switching pinstripes any time soon. 30-year-old center fielder Brandon Nimmo likely leaves New York this off-season but his projected price tag exceeds the spending proclivities of the White Sox. Michael Conforto, Joey Gallo and Cody Bellinger offer power and patience from the left side and could be more in range.
Andrew Benintendi, Michael Brantley, Kole Calhoun, Robbie Grossman, David Peralta, Jurickson Profar and Kevin Kiermaier could be options as well and all are free to sign at any point. Jesse Winker of the Seattle Mariners and Anthony Santander of the Baltimore Orioles are reportedly available via trade as well as a host of 40-man roster players for the Arizona Diamondbacks too.
What's the plan?
The White Sox should throw money at the problem. The front office built a core of players and built in their own cost certainty but it's time to enhance the roster with outside additions. Rick Hahn has stated that the trade market would be more plentiful for his team than the open market would be but the rhetoric just rings hollow this particular offseason. There are a multitude of solid options available for varying amounts and it's imperative that the White Sox explore the possibilities
Once again, Joc Pederson made some sense in theory due to his prowess against right handed pitching but he will return to the San Francisco Giants after being extended and accepting the qualifying offer. Ideally, the White Sox are able to add a left-handed hitting outfielder to play regularly in an outfield corner with Colás expected to man the other spot. Funds are tight and another starting pitcher is required as well but lineup balance should rule the day this off-season.
Nimmo would be a near perfect fit but just seems like a financial pipe dream. The Law Firm of Bellinger, Conforto and Gallo could provide some upside but the risk likely exceeds it. The White Sox won't get into a bidding war for Bellinger and nobody should be confident that the organization could fix his swing any way. Conforto would be a great fit despite missing the 2022 season with a shoulder injury. The 29-year-old former first rounder has smacked 132 big league homers while posting a 136 wRC+ vs righties in his career. Gallo is a great defender who walks and possesses huge raw power but the strikeouts are a red flag.
Benintendi was coveted by the White Sox during the 2015 draft and he's posted a 116 career wRC+ versus right handed pitching. Now 28, he's a solid defender who hit .304/.373/.399 with a 122 wRC+ last season. Benintendi only hit five homers but he has some familiarity with new manager Pedro Grifol from his Kansas City days and this could be the best of the realistic options for the club.
Peralta is 35-years-old and posted league average offensive production in 2022. He has posted a 121 wRC+ vs righties in his career. 33-year-old switch hitter Robbie Grossman was really bad for two teams last year and Kole Calhoun just suffered through his worst season as a professional as well. Kiermaier is a great defender who was a positive contributor for the Rays in 63 games in 2022 but the White Sox are likely looking for more offensive output.
Michael Brantley could be an option to finally play home games on the South Side as well. The 35-year-old posted a 127 wRC+ in 64 games last season but playing the outfield regularly could be a struggle. One potential outside the box idea could be exploring the price tag for Padres' swiss army knife Jurickson Profar. He hit 15 homers and posted a 110 wRC+ while playing some left field and second base.
The 2023 White Sox will have a new coaching staff in tow with the goal of winning the American League Central. It's essential that the team adds some firepower in the outfield and the addition of at least two solid options will be optimal. Oscar Colás is coming and he's exciting. Having more bats than spots is an excellent organizational approach to solving offensive woes but the franchise has some work to do for that top become a reality.
