Just like last season, the White Sox are expected to unload most of their bullpen arms, as most of them are on one year deals. This is a smart move by the White Sox, as most of the players won’t be on the team next year. The White Sox got some very intriguing prospects for some of their bullpen pieces, including breakout player Jordan Leasure. This year the White Sox will look to continue their luck of getting solid young players in exchange for their relief arms.
Just like last year, the White Sox will have plenty of spots to fill in the bullpen, as almost half the bullpen could be on the move. Tim Hill and John Brebbia will definitely be traded, whether it’s on their own or packaged in a deal with another player. Dominic Leone and Mike Soroka are likely candidates to be moved, however their play might not create a market. If they can’t trade them, I could see them being released if they want to give younger players a chance.
Michael Kopech, the most valuable trade piece in the bullpen is likely to be moved, but there is a small chance he’s still on the team. So, with all this potential movement, there are 3-5 spots that will need to be filled in the bullpen. Let’s take a look at who could join the big league team in August:
AAA Options
The likeliest promotions will come from AAA, as most have had some sort of major league experience. I would assume that guys like Deivi Garcia and Prelander Berroa get the first crack at it. Garcia has a lot of upside, but he did not do well to start the year. Since being sent down, he’s pitched well, but only in four innings.
Berroa was one of the main pieces in the Santos trade and had a rough start to the year in AAA, but he has pitched much better as of late. I would like to see him come up sooner rather than later, as there is no reason that Dominic Leone should be getting innings over promising young arms like him.
There are a ton of veteran arms in AAA that might also get a chance, but if they can’t build up any trade value, then it is best to let the younger arms show what they can do. If I could pick one arm from AAA, it would definitely be Berroa, but I wouldn’t be upset to see Garcia get another chance.
AA Options
Here is where it really gets interesting. There are a lot of young bullpen arms that have had a strong showing this season. The Barons have a stacked bullpen and I would love to see any of them get a promotion after the trade deadline. They will likely go with some of the older players, but they have some 21-23 year old relievers that could be great bullpen pieces next year.
First is Adisyn Coffey, a 3rd round pick in 2022. He is having a fantastic season, as he currently has .56 ERA in 14 games so far. He has also saved three games for the Barons, showing he can handle the pressure of the 9th inning. He is 25, so a promotion is not out of the question.
The next is Gil Luna, who was a 9th round pick in 2021. He is currently 24, so he has a better chance to be called up this season. In 13 games(14.1 innings), he has a 1.26 ERA with two saves. He has 19 strikeouts in that same timeframe, showcasing his dominant stuff. I could see the White Sox taking an extended look at him in the MLB towards the end of the season.
The rest of the Barons bullpen should also be up for consideration, as they are all dominating. I figure the White Sox would want the older arms to be the ones to get the first crack at the major league bullpen.
Other names to look out for are: Josemar Cousin, Eric Alder, Andrew Dalquist, and Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa. They all have sub 2 ERAs out of the bullpen and could be potential replacements very shortly.
If the White Sox decide to gut the major league bullpen, they have plenty of arms in the minor leagues that can come in and eat some innings. I’m not 100% sure how the White Sox will want to handle some of these arms, but they should definitely prioritize these names.
