This is a lost season for the White Sox. Every game they win costs them a chance at a high draft pick next year and potentially a future star. The White Sox don’t need to tank, but this is the perfect opportunity for them to figure out what some players can provide at the major league level.
If the White Sox are actually serious about competing next year, they need to find out what some of the AAA guys can provide at the major league level. This will allow them to address the offseason needs properly, and not rely on guys that can’t get the job done at the major league level.
With that being said, here are some roster moves Rick Hahn needs to make to prevent another meltdown by the team in 2024.
Promote Korey Lee
Korey Lee is a very interesting prospect. He has some great power and could be a good catcher at the major league level and he is being wasted in AAA, especially now that Seby Zavala is hurt. The White Sox are wasting at-bats on Yasmani Grandal, as he will be nowhere near the team next year. Lee, on the other hand, will likely be competing for the starting catcher spot.
He hasn’t lit the world on fire at AAA, but when the Sox acquired him, he was just returning from injury. Now he has a few games under his belt at AAA, he should be called up sooner rather than later. Overall in AAA this year, he is hitting .277 with five home runs and 35 RBIs. He also has 12 stolen bases to go with that. While he only is hitting .226 with the Knights, he doing much better as of late, as he has shaken off the rust from the injury.
I’d like to see him catch the majority of the games for the rest of the season and give him an opportunity to show what he can do. If anything, it will be exciting to watch a new prospect at the catching spot, which has been a long time coming for the Sox. If it means sending Zavala or Grandal to waivers to make room, that is completely fine with me.
DFA Bryan Shaw
In short, there is no reason for a 35-year-old reliever with a 6 ERA to be on this team. The White Sox have too many interesting arms in AAA for this to be a thing. This is not a shot against Shaw, as he has had a great major league career, but he has no place on this currently constructed roster.
Instead, the Sox could have former top-100 prospects and recent acquisitions Deivi Garcia or Luis Patino get some looks at the major league level. They were top-100 prospects for a reason, and they should get an opportunity to work with Ethan Katz to unlock that potential.
While Patino hasn’t looked great so far in AAA, he has the stuff to strive in the MLB.
The strikeout numbers look good, so the stuff is there. He just needs some refinement, and Ethan Katz can provide it. I would rather him struggle up here and get more experience, rather than sit in AAA.
The same can be said about Garica. He hasn’t pitched for the Knights yet, but he should work on his craft at the major league level, rather than in AAA.
As you have pointed out Lee has been hurt. And his time in the organization has been limited. It takes time for new catchers to get acclimated with new pitching staffs. Bringing him up now will only do more harm than good. Sox are going now where. This season is done and they won’t be competing next year, 2025 or ever… as long at the cadre of Ebenezer Jerry and clown show of Hahn / Williams remain. As for DFA on Shaw… I would keep the new prospects acquired as far away from Ethan Katz as possible. He is boob… Read more »