Thursday, February 6, 2025
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Braden Montgomery Ready To Make His Mark in White Sox Organization

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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May 23, 2024; Hoover, AL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies outfielder Braden Montgomery (6) bats against the Tennessee Volunteers during the SEC Baseball Tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Despite a sudden change in scenery a year after being drafted, Braden Montgomery is simply excited to play baseball. The 21-year-old was the 12th overall pick by the Red Sox last season before he was sent to the White Sox in a package deal for Garrett Crochet. He now has the opportunity to be the White Sox long-term solution in right field. 

During one of the White Sox Saturday panels at SoxFest live, Montgomery was asked about his favorite moment as a baseball player. His answer spoke volumes about his character. It wasn’t a moment of something he had done, but rather celebrating a walk-off from one of his Texas A&M teammates after a come-from-behind victory. When asked if being traded to the White Sox bothered him he said that he just wanted to get back on the field and play baseball. 

That is the type of mentality that has been lacking on the South Side in recent years. National reports painted an ugly picture of the White Sox clubhouse. As former White Sox pitcher Reynaldo Lopez put it: 

“No matter if you have the best players in the clubhouse, if you don’t feel like a unit you’re not going far.” 

Montgomery’s character is one reason the White Sox targeted him in the trade. White Sox general manager Chris Getz stated that the organization had already done extensive research on Montgomery before the 2024 draft, as the team considered taking him with the fifth pick. 

Montgomery did not play a game last season after breaking his ankle in the NCAA Super Regionals. Despite the injury concerns the Red Sox were unphased, pulling the trigger on drafting him in the first round. It’s easy to see why the Red Sox were high on him. Despite not playing a game last year he still landed as the 55th-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list. 

Montgomery was considered one of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 Draft out of Mississippi’s Madison Central High School. He has a cannon of an arm, can hit from both sides of the plate, and has 60-grade power. He went undrafted out of high school after committing to Stanford but was able to hit 96 mph with his fastball when the Cardinals implemented him as a pitcher. 

His lack of command made him shift his focus to becoming a full-time outfielder where his right arm has been put to good use. Scouts graded his arm strength on a 70 on a 20-80 grading scale. During his freshman year at Stanford, he hit .294 with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs. He followed that up with 17 bombs his sophomore year while slashing .336/.461/.611. 

After transferring to Texas A&M he put up the best numbers of his collegiate career, slashing .322/.454/.733 with 27 homers and 85 RBIs. That helped make him the highest-drafted position player in Aggies history after he inking a $5 million contract with the Red Sox. 

The main focus of his first season in the White Sox organization will be getting him acclimated to pro-ball. Some scouts believe that Montgomery would be better served hitting exclusively from the left side of the plate. He has a quick, compact swing from each side of the plate that allows him to spray the ball across the diamond. However, he owns a .355 batting average and a 17 percent strikeout rate from the left side, compared to a .227 average and 29 percent K rate from the right side. Montgomery’s biggest issue in college was struggling to hit breaking balls. If he can improve his approach against non-fastballs, he will become a very difficult out. 

Given his tools and maturity for his age, Montgomery has the chance to be the White Sox most valuable piece of the Garret Crochet deal.

Cubs Reunite with Left-Handed Pitcher

By
Aldo Soto
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Jun 11, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Brandon Hughes (47) is lifted by manager David Ross (3) with San Francisco Giants runners in scoring position during the fifth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs have reunited with left-handed pitcher Brandon Hughes, signing the reliever to a minor league deal. Hughes, 29, pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024, a year after a nagging knee injury destroyed his 2023 season with the Cubs.

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported the minor league signing on Friday.

The left-hander was a converted pitcher out of Michigan State and had a total of 91.2 innings in the minor leagues before he made the jump to the big leagues during the 2022 season.

As a rookie, Hughes was excellent, posting a 3.12 ERA with a 28.5 K% in 57.2 innings pitched and appeared to be one of the few relievers to have an established role entering the 2023 season in the Cubs bullpen. However, the lefty was slowed down in spring training with a knee issue that just did not go away. Hughes had three different stints on the injured list in 2023, limiting him to a total of 13.2 innings.

The lefty last pitched for the Cubs on June 11, 2023. A couple weeks later Hughes had surgery on his left knee, which kept him out for the remainder of the year. Following the season the Cubs non-tendered Hughes, who eventually signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks in 2024.

Hughes was good at Triple-A to begin the 2024 season, posting a 1.84 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. That earned him a call up to the big leagues at the end of April with Arizona. He was up and down between Triple-A and MLB and the results with the Diamondbacks weren’t good. Hughes had an 8.15 ERA and 1.92 WHIP in 15 appearances. Hughes still had the ability to miss bats, recording 21 strikeouts in 17.2 innings, but he gave up eight home runs, an insane amount in such a small innings sample.

So, hopefully the familiarity between Hughes and the Cubs helps him regain some confidence in 2025. He joins Brad Keller, Trevor Richards, Ben Heller, Phil Bickford, and Brooks Kriske as the pitchers with previous MLB experience in spring training on minor league deals competing for a spot with the Cubs.

If you look at the current 40-man roster, the Cubs have Caleb Thielbar, Luke Little and Rob Zastryzny as the only other left-handed relievers.

Chicago Bears Insiders Hint At Team’s Contract Extension Plans

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears
Nov 9, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears strong safety Jaquan Brisker (9) and defensive back Kyler Gordon (6) celebrate a tackle for a loss against the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Last off-season, GM Ryan Poles focused on making sure the Chicago Bears worked out a contract extension with star cornerback Jaylon Johnson. It took longer than anticipated, but the finish line was eventually reached. Johnson was locked up on a new four-year deal. This off-season is somewhat of a mystery. Chicago has multiple players who are reaching the point where their rookie contracts are set to expire. Will any of them secure an extension this spring?

Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron spoke up on this subject on Thursday. His best understanding is that one player will likely get a new deal. That is cornerback Kyler Gordon.

Zimmerman wasn’t alone in his statement. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune backed him up in his latest column, published on Friday. There isn’t as much urgency as with Johnson, but the expectations are that it can and probably will get done at some point soon.

He had to use the franchise tag as a means toward hammering out a four-year, $76 million extension with cornerback Jaylon Johnson. While there isn’t the same kind of urgency in terms of a timeline to pay nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon, don’t be surprised if the Bears work on a new contract for Gordon this offseason.

The Chicago Bears’ stance with Gordon is hardly shocking.

In just three years, the former 2nd round pick has become one of the NFL’s best nickel cornerbacks. His versatility is outstanding. He plays the run well, has standout capability as a blitzer, and has become such a danger in coverage that opposing quarterbacks have almost stopped throwing in his direction. If not for some injury setbacks at times, he would be in line to challenge for the highest-paid player at this position. It is a safe assumption he will command at least $10 million per year and probably more.

As for Braxton Jones and Jaquan Brisker, they are tougher cases. Jones has been a dependable left tackle for stretches over the past three years. Unfortunately, he still has certain weaknesses in his game and was undercut further by multiple injury issues in 2024. Brisker would’ve been an obvious extension option before a concussion basically knocked him out for the season after five games. The Chicago Bears will likely let them both play the final years of their rookie deals. If they excel in 2025, extension conversations can happen then.

Zach LaVine Trade To This Contender Becoming “Very Real”

By
Ryan Dauterive
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Jan 12, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Zach LaVine sweepstakes took an interesting turn when the two-time All-Star’s camp stated they no longer wanted to be traded away and wished to remain with the Bulls. This was a head-scratching request, considering he’s been dangled in trade talks for over two years and has expressed frustrations with the organization much of his tenure. Nonetheless, Chicago’s front office seemingly didn’t redirect their intentions with their star guard despite his wishes and have continued to float his name in trade conversations. While at first, it appeared the Milwaukee Bucks or Denver Nuggets were the most likely landing spots if a swap was executed, a new team has swooped in at the eleventh hour with a newfound motivation and aggression to find common ground and complete a trade. Who is the latest suitor, and can the Bulls strike while the iron is hot?

Warriors Pivot From Vucevic To LaVine

Until today’s breaking news, anyone in the NBA world would have said that Nikola Vucevic was the surefire pick from Chicago to head out west and join Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr before next Thursday’s trade deadline. In a shocking move, they’ve turned their attention to acquiring LaVine and his All-Star snub current production. Not being named an All-Star reserve helped Chicago’s chances of trading him because, as an All-Star, the price would have skyrocketed and delusional hope restored in the 20-28, 10th-place Chicago Bulls. After reports surfaced that Vucevic was too expensive for Golden State’s liking, they’re willing to fork up more to add the 29-year-old guard.

Recreating The Splash Bros

LaVine makes a ton of sense in the Bay alongside the best three-point shooter ever. He’s shooting a career-best 44.6% from three-point land on over seven attempts per outing, averaging 24.0 points and 4.5 assists, and efficient scoring numbers. There is an argument to be made that he deserved the All-Star nod over Jaylen Brown or others, and if it weren’t for the 20-28 record, he would probably have been selected for the third of his career. Golden State is 24-23 and currently out of the playoff picture. While they attempt the third-most three-point field goals leaguewide, their efficiency and overall offensive output are outside the top ten league-wide. Can adding LaVine bring back the most dominant three-point scoring offense of the past decade?

If Chicago ships away LaVine and doesn’t see Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody in return, it’ll be organizational malpractice. A collection of aging, worthless assets to match LaVine’s salary of over $40 million would solely be a contract dump move for the Bulls. While they would undoubtedly add future draft capital and first-round stock, they should still be able to capture at least Kuminga or Moody in return for a former All-Star amid one of the best seasons of his career.

Seems Dennis Allen May Be Pointing Bears To His Preferred EDGE

By
Erik Lambert
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dennis allen
Jan 30, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; American team defensive lineman Princely Umanmielen of Ole Miss (3) works through drills during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

One thing that became clear during his long run in the NFL is that Dennis Allen has a good eye for edge rushers. He was with the Broncos and Raiders when they drafted Von Miller and Khalil Mack, respectively. Then, in New Orleans, he played a key role in the drafting of Trey Hendrickson. One can imagine he already has been doing research on the 2025 draft class with the anticipation of landing a defensive coordinator job somewhere. It can’t be a coincidence that a prominent name surfaced right after Allen was hired.

According to Jordan Sigler of ChiCity Sports, the Bears have kept close tabs on Ole Miss edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, recently meeting him at the Senior Bowl.

Ole Miss defensive end Princely Umanmielen has been a standout during practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The six-foot-five, 255-pound pass rusher has shown great technique in getting past offensive tackles this week.

Umanmielen confirmed to CCS that he met with the Bears in Mobile. The native of Manor, Texas, said his meeting with Chicago went well.

Umanmielen prefers to play defensive end but said he believes he has the versatility to play defensive tackle in certain packages. (The Bears used DeMarcus Walker in that role in former head coach Matt Eberflus’ system.)

This stands out for a couple of reasons.

People will argue teams meet with every prospect at the Senior Bowl. How is Umanmielen different? For one, he meets the exact criteria Allen prefers in edge rushers. He’s big, long, explosive, and was highly productive in college. Most pass rushers taken during his stints as a coordinator or head coach had at least 20 sacks in college. Umanmielen had 25.5.

Dennis Allen already has extensive info on Umanmielen.

How? Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter was teammates with him for three years at Florida. The two were close. It is likely the team scouts and new coaches have already gotten a detailed description of the type of player Umanmielen is. He’s earned comparisons to names like Danielle Hunter, Brian Burns, and Arnold Ebiketie. Allen went against Ebiketie and the Falcons for three years while head coach of the Saints. So if he sees the same traits in Umanmielen, it would further explain the Bears’ interest.

Initial projections had him going in the 2nd round this April, but it’s possible a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and good athletic testing at the scouting combine will push him into the 1st round. Could he be an option for the Bears at #10? Some will argue that is too early. However, his physical talent and productivity warrant a conversation. If Dennis Allen believes he can help transform the defense into a juggernaut, then there is every reason to consider that possibility.

Chase Meidroth Could Be A Game-Changer For The White Sox

By
Craig Rowland
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WooSox Chase Meidroth singles versus the Durham Bulls at Polar Park on Friday April 19, 2024.

In less than two weeks, pitchers and catchers will report to Spring Training for the White Sox, officially transitioning to the 2025 season. It will signal the end of the dreadful 2024 season, allowing the players who still remain on the roster to purge the historically bad season from their minds. 

The Opening Day roster will look very different than it did last year, and as the year progresses, some of the White Sox top prospects will join the roster as they earn promotions to Chicago. There are many variables to how a player will perform in a given season, but certain baseball reference websites try to give their best evaluation on how a player will perform for the upcoming season. 

Each year, FanGraphs releases their Steamer projections on how they believe each player will perform in the upcoming year. We will be taking a look at each player’s 2025 projections as we approach Spring Training.

The next player we will take a look at is Chase Meidroth, someone that White Sox fans should begin to familiarize themselves with. Meidroth was one of the four players acquired by the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade back in December.

FanGraphs projects Meidroth to play only 47 games with the White Sox, so they aren’t sure if he will break camp with the team. At this point it is unclear if he will, but he certainly will get a chance.

Despite the fact they project him to only play in 47 games, they are still very high on him. They project him to slash .243/.356/.345 with three homeruns, 16 RBIs, and three stolen bases which is good for a .9 WAR. When you project that over a full season, that is close to a 3 WAR season, which would be a fantastic season for an under the radar rookie.

FanGraphs is clearly high on Meidroth’s ability to get on base, and they have good reason to be. In 122 games at AAA last season, Meidroth had an excellent .437 OBP, which was the best at the AAA level by almost 40 points.

The White Sox have been targeting players that have shown the ability to get on base and Meidroth should fit that bill for them. If Meidroth doesn’t make the team out of Spring Training, it is likely he makes it to Chicago sooner rather than later.

If things go well, Meidroth should turn out to be what most fans thought Nick Madrigal was going to be when the White Sox selected him with a top-5 pick just a few years ago.

Latest Chicago Bears Staff Update Delivers A Surprise Plot Twist

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears
Aug 22, 2011; Oxnard, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive line coach Bill Johnson at training camp at the River Ridge Fields at the Residence Inn. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Yesterday, the news broke that the Chicago Bears were hiring veteran defensive assistant Bill Johnson to their new staff. It was assumed the 69-year-old would be taking over the defensive line from the departing Travis Smith since that has been his position of expertise for the past 40 years. He won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints and a national championship with LSU. Nobody could bat an eye at the choice for new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. However, it appears that such a conclusion was premature.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Johnson’s addition to the staff is confirmed, but not as the primary defensive line coach. The role is not yet specified. This means the Bears are still hunting for that critical position coach.

The team has hired Bill Johnson as a defensive assistant, first reported by Aaron Wilson of Houston’s KPRC. Johnson was the defensive line coach for the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions and worked with Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in New Orleans. It’s uncertain what his specific title is, but it’s not believed he will be the primary defensive line coach.

It isn’t clear who the team might be targeting. If one were playing connect the dots, the obvious name Allen will pursue is Ryan Nielsen. Most recently the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars, he and the Bears defensive coordinator worked together for six seasons in New Orleans.

The Chicago Bears have every reason to pursue Nielsen.

He was arguably the best defensive line coach in the NFL during that stretch with the Saints. Over those six seasons, they averaged 46.5 sacks per season, compared to the Bears’ average of 30 under Matt Eberflus. If Nielsen is a target, he would be a home run hire. It will be interesting to see what Johnson’s role on the staff is. Perhaps the team feels they need a more veteran presence who has a winning track record. One can’t argue that after spending most of the past decade stuck in the league’s cellar.

This entire process has starkly contrasted previous Chicago Bears staff searches. Eberflus had his mostly put together within a matter of days after taking over in 2022. That isn’t the case with Ben Johnson. He was hired as head coach ten days ago and still hasn’t filled key position spots like the offensive and defensive lines. It is clear he is being methodical about it, hoping to make the right choices. Given the importance of both jobs, one can’t fault him for that.

Ryan Poles Appears To Have Found Another Small School Crush

By
Erik Lambert
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ryan poles
Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; American team defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott of Tennessee (55) spars with American team offensive lineman Jackson Slater of Sacramento State (67) during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Ryan Poles is like any other general manager in that he has certain quirks about him that make up his approach to the draft. In this case, he seems to prefer taking chances on small school offensive linemen. It was true in 2022 when he took Braxton Jones (Southern Utah), Zachary Thomas (San Diego State), and Ja’Tyre Carter (Southern). This past year, he added to that list by taking Kiran Amegadjie from Yale. Poles seems to have a minor obsession to standouts from small programs.

It appears he has found another. According to Jordan Sigler of ChiCity Sports, the Bears have been paying extra attention to Sacramento State guard Jackson Slater. Apparently, West Coast scout Reese Hicks has been to multiple games to watch him play, and the team also met with him again at the Senior Bowl. He was credited with not giving up a sack all season in 2024.

Slater confirmed to CCS that he has met with the Bears this week. He also dropped telling information on what Chicago thinks of him.

Slater said a Bears scout made multiple trips to Sacramento to watch him play at Hornet Stadiums during the regular season. He didn’t drop the name of the scout, but the details provided sounded like a West Coast area scout for the Bears.

Ryan Poles’ interest in Slater is easy to understand.

The Bears need capable pass protectors in the worst way after allowing 67 sacks this season. Slater showed in school and during drills in Mobile that he has the footwork, violent hands, and solid anchor to keep his quarterbacks clean. While a guard in college, experts believe his best position in the NFL will be center. Brandon Thorn of Bleacher Report compared him to Matt Hennessy, a former 3rd round pick of Atlanta who has started 22 games across four seasons. Ryan Poles knows how badly the Bears need more interior blocking. Slater figures to be a prominent option on day three of the draft, likely somewhere between the 4th and 6th rounds. One can only hope he isn’t the only blocker Chicago drafts as it would reflect well on Poles, who seems to have an unhealthy obsession with these types of players.

Prelander Berroa Projects To Be The White Sox Closer Of The Future

By
Craig Rowland
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Sep 29, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Prelander Berroa (66) pitches in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

In less than two weeks, pitchers and catchers will report to Spring Training for the White Sox, officially transitioning to the 2025 season. It will signal the end of the dreadful 2024 season, allowing the players who still remain on the roster to purge the historically bad season from their minds. 

The Opening Day roster will look very different than it did last year, and as the year progresses, some of the White Sox top prospects will join the roster as they earn promotions to Chicago. There are many variables to how a player will perform in a given season, but certain baseball reference websites try to give their best evaluation on how a player will perform for the upcoming season. 

Each year, FanGraphs releases their Steamer projections on how they believe each player will perform in the upcoming year. We will be taking a look at each player’s 2025 projections as we approach Spring Training.

The next player we will cover is Prelander Berroa, who looks to make a big impact in the bullpen for the White Sox in 2025.

FanGraphs seems to be pretty high on Berroa, as they believe that he will lead the White Sox in saves this season, as they project him to save 13 games. They also project him to throw 67 innings, en route to a solid 4.25 ERA and a 9.44 K/9, which would also lead the team.

This would be an ideal season for Berroa, as he has some elite offerings and has the ability to be a very solid reliever in the major leagues. Berroa didn’t spend too much time in the MLB last year, but when he was in Chicago he showed off his potential.

In 19 innings, he struck out 36 batters, pitching to a very solid 3.32 ERA. His WHIP was slightly elevated, sitting at 1.47, as he had a bit of trouble finding the strike zone. When he gets the ball in the zone, he is a very effective pitcher, as hitters only hit .217 off him last season. To continue his success, Berroa needs to focus on limiting the walks.

Having the offseason to work with the major league staff should help out Berroa, as if he can control the strike zone just a little bit better, he has elite stuff that could potentially make him the closer of the future for the White Sox.

Potential Patrick Williams Trade Package Revealed

By
Ryan Dauterive
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Mar 3, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) looks to pass the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls have been reluctant to trade away young talent since the Nikola Vucevic mega-trade several seasons ago left their following five years with minimal blossoming talent and a depleted draft pick stockpile. Patrick Williams has been a great example of someone they should have moved on from several times, including after his four-year rookie contract. Instead, Arturas Karnisovas inked a five-year extension worth $90 million to keep the forward in Chicago. After a sluggish start to his fifth season, the Bulls finally have decided to dangle the former Florida State Seminole in trade talks, a consideration they’ve withheld from doing with the 23-year-old during his first four lackluster years. While Jake Fischer mainly covered the whereabouts of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic during his livestream this afternoon, he did mention Williams and one trade tidbit that could gain traction over the next week. Where’s he slated to go, and what can Chicago net in return for his services?

Phoenix Swaps Nurkic For Williams

As Fischer admitted, this trade idea is purely speculation. It’s a scenario of Bradley Beal denying the few trade destinations that would have helped the Jimmy Butler trade come to reality and scoping where the Suns may look to rebound for a two-way forward as they hope to gain size at the position before next Thursday. If the Bulls move on from Nikola Vucevic, as it seems more likely than not that they will do, they’ll need a replacement center to finish the season. Jusuf Nurkic is more than likely departing Phoenix and may even be cut if no trade partners are found. Williams was recently added to the trade block in Chicago, and doing the math shows that a clean swap with added draft capital headed to the Bulls could be sensible.

Would this trade benefit the Bulls, or should they continue to have faith in Williams’s slow growth as he’s still only 23 years old?

Moving To The Bench Might’ve Saved His Bulls Career

Two games ago, head coach Billy Donovan decided to try Patrick Williams in a reserve role for the first time in his career, aside from injury stints. This was long overdue and pleased many Bulls fans, as Williams never looked comfortable or displayed development in the starting five. A few years ago, his brother explained that he was the sixth man on his college roster and was more used to coming off the pine. In addition, he noted that Williams prefers to start on the sidelines and take the opportunity to study the game, find what his team requires each night, and prepare to attack as needed when his playing time comes. He might be right based on his stellar performance with the second unit over the last two games.

Typical Karnisovas fashion would be to let a two-game sample outweigh the first four and a half years of subpar performances from his former top-five draft selection. This would lead to the decision to keep Williams by setting the price tag much too steep and continuing to overpay for a bench contributor.

Should the Bulls take advantage if a Nurkic for Williams swap presents itself?

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