2025 is all about potential, but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be any veterans in the lineup. Teams like the Angels and White Sox promote prospects more quickly than respectable organizations with predictable results. Competent organizations keep their prospects in the minors until they're truly ready. After the Barons' recent title, why not let our prospects feel success in Charlotte for a few months before coming to Chicago mid-summer to get their teeth kicked in?
MANAGER
Will Venable - The guy has all the bona fides you could want. He's a former player who stole some bases and hit for a little power. He's worked for and been well regarded by multiple successful organizations. He's learned under Joe Maddon, Alex Cora, and Bruce Bochy. Will is confident but humble and carries himself like a leader of men. He could have had his pick of managerial jobs the last couple years and I'm not sure why he would choose ours, but maybe he'll be drawn to the chance to take a very young roster and make it his own.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Andrew Vaughn: $6.4M - TENDER - If Vaughn were coming from another organization he'd be exactly the type of player we'd want the Sox to take a chance on. He hasn't lived up to his draft billing, but he's a competent MLB-caliber bat that is just entering his prime and began his career under two truly embarrassing managers. We won't find a younger, better player to take these at-bats or these dollars anyway. Let's give Andrew one more chance.
- Nicky Lopez: $5.1M - NON-TENDER - Too expensive, plus we have two younger players I'd rather see at 2B.
- Garrett Crochet: $2.9M - TENDER
- Gavin Sheets: $2.6M - NON-TENDER - I like you, Gavin, but you just aren't a major leaguer.
- Enyel De Los Santos: $1.7M - NON-TENDER - I think his stats make him look better than he is and there's other guys I'd rather give these innings to.
- Jimmy Lambert: $1.2M - NON-TENDER - He was never that great and his body seems to have given out on him.
- Justin Anderson: $1.1M - TENDER - Just a guy, but he seems to limit hard contact and maybe his control improves now that the rust is shaken off. Good to have at least one or two veterans in the bullpen with all the kids.
- Steven Wilson: $1M - TENDER - Way too early to give up on the crown jewel of the Dylan Cease trade! Ok, but seriously--even though the wheels came off last year he's still probably an MLB pitcher, plus he's cheap and optionable.
- Matt Foster: $900K - TENDER - I'm not sure why--I've just always liked him.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Yoán Moncada: $25M ($5M buyout) - DECLINE
- Max Stassi: $7M ($500K buyout) - DECLINE
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Michael Soroka (Made $3M in 2023) - LET GO - I think he may have found himself a solid career in the bullpen, but I also think we can get the same risk/reward elsewhere for less.
- Mike Clevinger ($3M) - LET GO - We'll always have 2023...
- Chris Flexen ($1.75) - LET GO - He did exactly what we asked of him, but we have enough guys with more upside who can eat those innings.
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: SP Walker Buehler (1 yr/$11M). He wasn't great this year after his 2nd TJ surgery, but he's still only 30 and is the best upside play available. It will be nice to have a veteran starter around who's seen all the ups and downs of an MLB career. Plus how can you not want to sign a pitcher whose name is basically Buehrle?
No. 2: CL Kenley Jansen (2 yr/$19M). While there are some intriguing young arms in our bullpen, none of them are ready to be "the guy." To protect their development and to make life easier for a young manager it's worth spending to have a credible guy at the back end. Jansen's age (37) and regressed ERA (3.44 the last 3 years) will scare away any true contenders, but he's still an elite pitcher who's hard to square up and wants to close. A good first half would make him enticing trade bait.
No. 3: C Austin Barnes (1 yr/$3.5M). Young Edgar Quero could probably use more time in AAA before being handed the keys and Chuckie Robinson just doesn't belong on a major league roster. Enter Austin Barnes. The Dodgers will likely decline his option this because they have younger catchers ready to come up. Barnes' well-regarded pitch framing will benefit our young staff. His knowledge of how the world-class Dodgers prepare for games will be valuable. He'll do a terrible job controlling the run game, but who cares?
No. 4: 1B/3B Donovan Solano (1 yr/$3M). Another guy who'll play next season at age 37 but just continues to put up solid numbers. He'll add batting average and OBP to a team desperate for both and his superior mobility at 1st should push Vaughn into the DH spot more often than not. Apologies to all you Tim Elko fans out there, but I want to see the guy cook in AAA a little more before he gets called up.
No. 5: SS Paul DeJong (1 yr/$2M). No, I don't want to see Jacob Amaya or Braden Shewmake ever again. Baldwin and Montgomery should get the majority of SS at-bats in 2025, but while one is playing everyday in Chicago the other should be playing everyday in Charlotte. The right-handed DeJong would be a good bench complement to the left-handed Montgomery. DeJong handled Chicago better than most, and since no one is gonna hand him a starting job this winter he should go back where everybody knows his name.
TRADES
Trade Garrett Crochet to CHC for OF Owen Caissie, 1B/3B/RP Cole Mathis, and 1B Jonathan Long. If we didn't have two other elite LHP on their way then I'd make a serious push to extend Garrett, but honestly we need to cash him in for some hitting. Caissie has serious power, but there will be some growing pains as he translates his 28% K-rate into the majors. The Sox have time to be patient; the contending Cubs do not. The Cubs also have a surplus of OF's at the moment and would likely be willing to part with one for an elite starter. Mathis is a raw 2024 2nd rounder with intriguing upside. He and Long would help fill out a White Sox pipeline desperate for exciting bats.
Note: It would be silly to trade Luis Robert when his value is so depressed and we have no CF prospects pushing for time anyway. Let's hope he starts hot and then reevaluate things in July.
2025 OPENING DAY LINEUP
- 1B Solano
- LF Benintendi
- CF Robert
- DH Vaughn
- 3B Vargus
- RF DeLoach
- 2B Sosa
- SS Baldwin
- C Lee
- OF Fletcher
- IF DeJong
- C Barnes
- Rule 5 pick -- preferrably an outfielder who actually has the speed to cover CF
2025 OPENING DAY PITCHERS
- SP1 - Buehler
- SP2 - Thorpe
- SP3 - Martin
- SP4 - Cannon
- SP5 - Burke
- CL Jansen
- RHP Anderson
- RHP Foster
- RHP Varland
- RHP Wilson
- RHP Marinaccio
- LHP Ellard
- LHP Shuster
SUMMARY
My total payroll comes out around $90M. I'd love to take on some bad contracts in order to buy more prospects, but MLB just doesn't seem to have the appetite for such trades. My lineup probably won't score any more runs than our embarrassing 2024 offense and the pitching may even be worse. Uh, I guess maybe the defense will be closer to average? Anyway, the rules say we're back in the draft lottery for 2026 so let's lose another 120.
Who cares about what's happening in Chicago anyway? Let's check out the collection of stars destined to win the 1st half International League title:
- C Quero
- 1B Elko
- SS Montgomery
- 3B Ramos
- LF Colas
- RF Caissie
- SP Shultz
- SP Nastrini
- SP Eder
- SP Bush
- SP Adams
- RP Leasure
