Who is the future at 2nd base for the White Sox?
By Brian Draus
Carlos Sanchez and Micah Johnson have both played the second base position this year for the Chicago White Sox, and in my opinion, if the White Sox stay in-house one of these two have a very good shot to be the starter in 2016 and on.
Both players are very flawed at the moment. Currently, Sanchez is a good fielder but a horrible hitter. Johnson is not a bad hitter, however couldn’t play the field and made mental mistakes during his time in the majors.
Could the Sox use both on the roster at the same time in the future?
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Here is an idea for Johnson, move him to the outfield. While JB Shuck is the teams current fourth outfielder, Johnson could be an option down the road. Johnson has great speed, and his arm should be strong enough for left and center field.
Due to that speed I just mentioned, Johnson could play multiple outfield positions as well as second base in a pinch. Even though he was awful when playing second base he could become at least a serviceable defender.
If Johnson could back up at three positions, he could be a good utility player just due to his speed alone. Late in games his pinch running ability would be vital, but he needs to work on his defense before he can become a solid major leaguer. My idea is basically to use him as a Jarrod Dyson type.
Sanchez in time, could become a decent hitter for average. Not to mention he has the ability to become an elite defender at the second base position, something I do not think Johnson has the ability to do. If a baseball team is going to win, it has to catch the ball especially up the middle.
While he is struggling to hit right now, I think there is a chance Sanchez could become a .260-.280 hitter with good line drive power. Just due to the great defensive ability that Sanchez provides, I would prefer him to be the second basemen going forward for now.
May 9, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox second baseman Micah Johnson (7) forces out Cincinnati Reds catcher Brayan Pena (29) and throws to first base during the sixth inning in game one of a doubleheader at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Both of these players need to improve greatly before they can be solid major league players. I think that Johnson definitely has a niche on an MLB team. In order to do that, he needs to play better defense, not to mention make better decisions on the base paths.
Sanchez will be a good defender for a long time assuming his bat comes around, due to the fact that he won’t be in the majors if he continues to hit below .200. Keep in mind Sanchez is about a year and a half younger than Johnson, so there is a possibility that his bat could come around some next year.
When a player (Sanchez) is only 23 it is hard to expect a finished product, however if they show plus skills on either side of the ball it is a good sign.
Johnson has an elite tool (speed), but is too raw to be at this level right now. It is a good sign for the Sox organization to see that two young players could become solid big league position players at some time in the near future.
Next: Is Carson Fulmer the future of the White Sox?