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White Sox: Three free agent second base options

By Joshua Finkelstein |
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 09: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox throws to first base during the second inning of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on September 09, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 09: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox throws to first base during the second inning of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on September 09, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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The Chicago White Sox have an opening at second base currently and it remains to be seen how the team addresses it. 

Nick Madrigal is almost certain to take control of that position long-term and it is very likely he will come up early on in 2020.

However, it is very plausible that he won’t start the season with the club considering he played a grand total of 29 games at Triple-A Charlotte in 2019.

While his 16 strikeouts for the entire season across three levels exemplify his incredible bat-to-ball skills, the White Sox could very well not deem him ready to start the year with the club.

On top of it, unless if the White Sox decide to sign Madrigal to a contract similar to that of Luis Robert‘s as Samiya Green suggests they should, the team could gain an extra year of control for Madrigal if they wait a couple of weeks into the season to bring him to the South Side.

With that being the case, the team should start considering some other alternatives for Opening Day at the position.

While they don’t need to be in the market for a year-round starting second baseman, the White Sox shouldn’t be looking to sign a scrub. Whoever they choose to sign should be able to remain a useful piece even after Madrigal is called up.

Here are three free agent options that fit the bill.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 09: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox throws to first base during the second inning of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on September 09, 2019, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 09: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox throws to first base during the second inning of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on September 09, 2019, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

1. Brock Holt

The super-utility infielder might be the absolute perfect fit for the White Sox as they look for a multi-positional option to start the year at second base.

Holt, 31, is coming off of a season in which he appeared in 87 games for the Boston Red Sox and hit .297/.369/.402 with three home runs and 31 RBI that gave him a 103 wRC+ and 1.3 fWAR.

Over the course of those previously mentioned 87 games, Holt made appearances at five different positions (first base, second base, third base, left field, and right field) while playing roughly league-average defense.

That means once Madrigal comes up that Holt could just be plugged in around the diamond to give all of their players rest at one point or another.

If Nomar Mazara proves to not be capable offensively to start every day, the team can plug Holt in there on occasion. If Jose Abreu needs rest from first base, Holt can take over in a pinch there too.

Holt would certainly provide the team with a lot of flexibility and would serve as true protection against anything that goes wrong for the team in 2020.

His left-handed-hitting is also valuable for a team that is only set to start three players capable of hitting from that side of the plate this season in Mazara, Yasmani Grandal, and Yoan Moncada.

Vinnie Parise explained why he believed Holt would be a solid fit for the White Sox earlier in the offseason.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 16: Brad Miller #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning of a baseball game at Citizens Bank Park on July 16, 2019, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 16: Brad Miller #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning of a baseball game at Citizens Bank Park on July 16, 2019, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

2. Brad Miller

This signing would be more about adding a potential left-handed bat off the bench with some pop for the White Sox.

Miller had a rough first couple of months to the 2019 season as he was DFA’d by the Cleveland Indians in April and then kept in the minor leagues with the New York Yankees after signing a minor league deal with them.

However, the Philadelphia Phillies acquired Miller in June and Miller did not disappoint.

Over 66 games for the Phillies, Miller registered a superb .941 OPS while hitting 12 homers and driving in 21 runs to give himself a 135 OPS+.

Furthermore, Miller played five different positions for the team just like Holt, with the difference being that Miller played shortstop instead of first base.

Miller, though, has experience at every position on the diamond besides catcher and pitcher which makes him the definition of a super-utility player just like Holt.

The 30-year-old is probably best used in the middle infield and in the corner outfield spots.

Once Madrigal comes to majors, Miller would be a great pinch-hitting option against tough right-handers and could allow many other players on the team to DH.

If the team wants to take a gamble on Miller maintaining his strong offensive stretch in 2019 over the course of an entire season at a fraction of the price as Holt possibly, it could prove to be worth it for the White Sox.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 14: Scooter Gennett #14 of the San Francisco Giants completes the double-play throwing over the top of Mark Canha #20 of the Oakland Athletics in the top of the fifth inning at Oracle Park on August 14, 2019, in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 14: Scooter Gennett #14 of the San Francisco Giants completes the double-play throwing over the top of Mark Canha #20 of the Oakland Athletics in the top of the fifth inning at Oracle Park on August 14, 2019, in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

3. Scooter Gennett

As compared to the previous two options, Gennett is actually headed on the wrong trajectory path if his 2019 numbers are any indication of what’s to come for him in the future.

The 29-year-old is coming off an absolutely brutal year that saw him miss almost the entirety of the season’s first three months with a right groin strain.

Once he returned, he wasn’t anything close to the impactful bat the Cincinnati Reds remembered as he had a .497 OPS in 21 games with the team before being dealt to the San Francisco Giants prior to the MLB Trade Deadline.

Gennett didn’t fare too with San Francisco either and was released before the end of August after only having a .644 OPS with them.

However, Gennett is only one year removed from being one of the best second basemen in the league as he hit .310/.357/.490 with 23 homers and 92 RBI to give himself a 125 wRC+ and 4.5 fWAR in 2018.

If the team were to sign Gennett, it would be a gamble. That being said, it might be one worth taking with Madrigal waiting in the wings just in case.

Madrigal’s presence behind him could allow the White Sox to take a chance on someone with boom-or-bust potential like Gennett.

The addition of Gennett could provide major rewards for the team if he were able to revert back to his 2018 numbers as that’s the type of bat the White Sox could find a spot for in the lineup in addition to Madrigal.

Next. Should White Sox Trade James McCann?. dark

Gennett is likely looking at a very low salary and incentive-laden one-year deal and if the team wants to take a risk that could reap huge rewards, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring him to the South Side.

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