One of the most intriguing competitions in White Sox Spring Training was the catching competition, as there were a few names that were fighting for two spots on the major league roster. The two players that had the leg up were Martin Maldonado and Max Stassi, but Korey Lee had a very good spring, making it harder to send him down to the minors.
But, it was clear that the decision wasn’t that hard, as Lee was optioned back to AAA Charolette last week. But an unfortunate injury to Max Stassi now allows him to open the season with the team on the 26 man roster.
As LaMond Pope points out, Stassi can potentially come back on April 4th, only having missed a few games. Whether he comes back on that day remains to be seen, but this gives Lee an opportunity to show what he can do, even if it is just in limited action.
This is a very tough break for Stassi as he dealt with a difficult off the field issue last year, keeping him out of the 2023 season. Now, eager to get back on the field, Stassi has another obstacle he has to overcome before making his way back to a major league game.
Now, here is the tough decision that the White Sox have to make: if Korey Lee plays well and shows that his bat has improved, do you keep him on the team and option Stassi to the minors, or do you not let Stassi lose his job due to injury?
I typically don’t like to have guys lose their job because of an injury, especially if they haven’t gotten an opportunity to play yet, but Lee figures to potentially be in the longer term plans for the White Sox and Stassi likely wouldn’t.
Regardless, if Stassi comes back right around when he is eligible, I find it hard to believe they wouldn’t send Lee back to AAA. Stassi would only miss 6-7 games, which is not nearly enough time for Korey Lee to show he can sustain his success in the pros.
I personally am a fan of Korey Lee and this is the perfect season for him to show what he can do before the White Sox take the next step to competing for the playoffs. I understand the White Sox wanting to have a veteran catcher on the roster, especially one that specializes in defense, but having two, especially ones that are light hitters is not the best for the team.
At this point, if Lee plays well in AAA and in his limited time in the majors to start, I could see him being promoted and either of the veterans DFA’d if they aren’t playing well by mid June. This would still give Lee a strong opportunity to audition to get consistent playing time for future teams.
