On Tuesday the White Sox announced that they had designated outfielder Adam Haseley for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Paul DeJong.
Haseley played in 28 games for the White Sox last season hitting .222/.282/.278 with no home runs and two RBIs in 38 at-bats. The 27-year-old played all three outfield positions during his time with the White Sox and posted solid defensive numbers. His Defensive Runs Saved (11), Ultimate Zone Rating (3.6), and Outs Above Average (1) all graded above league average according to Baseball Savant.
The bulk of his 2023 season was spent in Triple-A Charlotte where he slashed .264/.338/.386. Haseley was out of minor league options and was likely going to be DFA’d anyway if he did not make the White Sox Opening Day roster.
The Phillies selected Haseley with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2017 First-Year Player Draft. He made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Phillies and was named Philideplhia’s No. 5 minor league prospect by Baseball America at the end of the year.
In 2018 he was named Philadephlia’s Minor League Hitting Prospect of the Year by MLB Pipeline after batting .305/.361/.434 with 11 home runs, 55 RBIs, 77 runs scored, and 33 extra-base hits. He earned his first crack in the big leagues the following season playing in 67 games over three separate stints. He hit the only five home runs of his MLB career that season.
In 2020 he made his first Opening Day start with the Phillies playing in 24 games. He hit .278 with a .690 OPS but a left wrist sprain landed him on the ten-day IL. Haseley was once again named the Opening Day center fielder in 2021 but struggled to find a rhythm offensively. He slashed just .190/.190/.238 in April before getting sent down to Triple-A where he spent the remainder of the season.
The White Sox acquired him in exchange for right-handed pitcher McKinely Moore. At the time of the trade, Rick Hahn was hoping to find another left-handed bat who could also serve as a fourth outfielder. It was a low-risk roll of the dice considering his draft pedigree.
Haseley began the 2022 season in Triple-A Charlotte but was recalled as the 29th player for a doubleheader on April 20th in Cleveland. Tony La Russa called on him to be a defensive replacement in Game 1 and then started him in center field during Game 2 where he went 0-3 in his first at-bats in a White Sox uniform.
He proceeded to bounce around between Charlotte and the big league club, making three separate occasions but only played in 14 games with the White Sox. That season he ranked second on Charlotte Knights leaders in triples (4) and stolen bases (18) and finished third on the team in doubles (19), RBIs (63) runs scored (59), and home runs (15).
Since he has been DFA’d, Haseley will now either be traded or run through outright waivers. Haseley cleared waivers last offseason which means there is likely going to be little to no trade market for him. If he is not traded and then goes unclaimed he will have the option to elect free agency.
