White Sox: Ryan Cordell Could Be Nice Surprise This Season
White Sox young outfielder missed the second half of last season with an injury. Has potential to be a pleasant surprise this year in the outfield.
The Chicago White Sox were able to get solid value from relief pitcher Anthony Swarzak last season. Shortly after notching his first career major league save, Swarzak was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfield prospect Ryan Cordell.
Cordell was an outfield prospect with the Brewers last year but saw his season end due to a back injury suffered on June 27. The 25-year-old suffered a fracture in his T1 vertebra near his neck. Despite the injury, the Sox still traded for him last July. Cordell was originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 11th round of the 2013 MLB draft.
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As the Sox enter another rebuilding season in 2018, Cordell could likely find himself starting in the majors this year. Cordell is on the 40-man roster and could break camp with the team when they open the season against Kansas City on March 29. The young outfielder has previously mentioned that he’s versatile and could play many outfield positions according to James Fegan of The Athletic.
Cordell has the opportunity to become a solid player for the Sox if he can stay healthy. Last season with Milwaukee’s Triple-A affiliate, Cordell hit .284/.349/.506 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in 68 games. Over his minor league career, Cordell has a .276 batting average with 65 home runs in 452 total games played.
Apparently, although Cordell hasn’t played a game since last June, other teams have called Rick Hahn about the outfielder this offseason. According to Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago, the Sox have received calls from three teams about Cordell. This is surprising given that Cordell missed the second half of 2017 due to his injury.
Rick Hahn says that three teams have asked about outfielder Ryan Cordell (acquired from Brew Crew for Anthony Swarzak), who’s yet to play a game for the White Sox.
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) January 27, 2018
The Sox have some good outfield options for 2018 in Cordell, Charlie Tilson, Adam Engel and Leury Garcia. Cordell will get a chance to earn a spot on the team in Spring Training. He will have some competition in Tilson and Engel, who both figure to work their way on the Sox for this upcoming season.
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Cordell could be a solid contributor for the Sox in 2018. If he’s able to remain healthy throughout the season, he gives the team a nice option in any spot in the outfield. The Sox need quality outfield depth as they still have some unproven players in left and center field. Expect Cordell to get a lot of opportunities to earn a spot with the Sox for this upcoming season.