On November 18th, the White Sox non-tendered outfielder Mark Payton. Earlier this month, they resigned him to a minor league contract, with a possible invite to Spring Training. But it appears that the local outfielder from Orland Park is leaving the White Sox organization to play in Japan.
The Seibu Lions announced on Twitter that Payton will join the team for the upcoming 2023 season. He will wear the number 10.
The team also released a statement from Payton, which read:
“I am very grateful to have this opportunity to aim for the championship as a member of the Lions, and I am filled with a special feeling. I promise to prepare well and play with all my might! I can’t wait to meet all the Lions fans at the Belluna Dome!”
Payton made eight appearances with the White Sox in 2022.
The 31-year-old St. Rita graduate went 3-for-21. All three hits were singles. However, he logged his first RBI in the MLB and drew four walks.
During a much larger sample size in Triple-A Charlotte, he hit 25 home runs and slashed .293/.369/.539 line in 539 plate appearances. Payton has talent. During his time in Triple-A, he has hit a combined .296/.370/.515 over 1,853 plate appearances in six seasons in the minor league’s top level. Payton’s career has taken a long and winding road. So it makes sense why he wants to start fresh in Japan.
The New York Yankees initially drafted Payton in the seventh round of the 2014 MLB draft. He spent five seasons in the Yankees farm system but was unable to reach the majors. The Oakland Athletics then selected him in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft. Despite hitting .334 with 30 home runs and 97 RBIs with Oakland’s Triple-A team, the organization chose not to protect him in the 2019 Rule 5 draft. As a result, the Cincinnati Reds picked him up.
On July 21st, 2020, he was returned by the Reds to the Athletics. Seventeen days later, he was traded back to the Reds for a player to be named later.
Despite his success in the minor leagues, Payton never got much of a chance in the big leagues. In 2020 he made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds. He played eight games batting .167 ( 3 for 18) with a double and a stolen base. The following season he played just 24 games for the Reds. Payton produced a .182/.250/.182 slash line.
Upon being sent down, the Mets purchased his contract, and he spent the remainder of his 2021 season in Syracuse. He hit .293 with a .822 OPS.
That offseason, he was granted free agency once again when he signed with the White Sox ahead of the 2022 season. Unfortunately for Payton, the writing was on the wall that his MLB opportunities would be limited following the additions of Victor Reyes and Billy Hamilton. His only path to the major leagues would have been as a fourth outfielder.
Payton will now take his talents to a Seibu team that finished 3.5 games back in the Pacific League standings despite a 72-68 record. They were eliminated in the first stage of the playoffs in two games.
Let’s wish this Chicago boy well. I hope he makes it back to the bigs.
Best of luck to this young man. Hope he received a well deserved payday.
Deserved a shot but club’s investment in Jiminez & Robert and First basemen/outfielders blocked his path. Good luck in Japan