While the Chicago White Sox have been busy selling players at the trade deadline, they have also made one move to buy low on a former top pitching prospect. According to James Fegan, the White Sox have acquired right-handed pitcher Luis Patiño.
The White Sox are sending some cash to the Tampa Bay Rays for the right-hander.
Patiño, who made his MLB debut in 2020, is still only 23-years-old. However, the pitcher has not been able to live up to his former top prospect status as of yet. In his rookie season, Patiño struggled as he recorded a 5.19 ERA in 11 outings. The righty struck out 21 and walked 14 batters in 17.1 innings.
Following the 2020 season, the San Diego Padres traded Patiño along with Francisco Mejía, Blake Hunt and Cole Wilcox, to Tampa Bay in exchange for left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell.
Heading into the 2021 season, Patiño was a consensus top-100 prospect in baseball, ranked No. 23 by Baseball America, No. 19 by MLB Pipeline and No. 25 by Baseball Prospectus.
The Rays used him mainly as a starter during the 2021 season, but Patiño did make four relief appearances to go along with his 15 starts. The numbers were OK, as the right-handed pitcher posted a 4.31 ERA in 77.1 innings. While the results weren’t great at least he was taking the mound for most of the year. Unfortunately, in 2022 the pitcher missed time with an oblique strain, suffering the injury just 13 pitches into his first start.
Patiño did not return until July and ended up pitching a total of 20 innings in 2022.
The Rays decide to option Patiño to Triple-A to begin the 2023 season and he’s only made two appearances in the majors this year. He’s made six starts and 27 total appearances at Triple-A in 2023. In 45.1 innings, Patiño has a 6.75 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 29 walks.
So, definitely a project for the White Sox, but they’ll have plenty of time to work with the 23-year-old if they keep him. Patiño will be arbitration eligible in 2024. He can be under team control through the 2026 season.
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