C Alex Avila
Avila was really a two outcome player for the White Sox in 2016.
He either walked to first or back to the dugout with his bat draped back. That’s not entirely a hyperbole either. Avila walked in 19.2 percent of his plate appearances but was hung up 37.3 percent of the time.
37.3 percent. Avila was objectively there starting catcher going into the 2016 campaign.
Avila hit seven home runs in 57 games, so with regular playing time he may have been good for third on the team leaderboard in bombs. That’s not exactly a compliment.
Avila’s greatest skill was that he wasn’t Dioner Navarro. Unlike his cohort, he was a good receiver and got on base at a decent clip (.359).
To solidify his career narrative, Avila knew the shelf more than the scruff of dirt behind the dish. A hamstring strain kept him sidelined for most of the season, rendering the Avila era a footnote rather than front page news.