Chicago White Sox: Five players fighting for Opening Day roster spots
The Chicago White Sox have a lot of hype surrounding them this spring. There are some players currently fighting for roster spots in Arizona.
The Chicago White Sox have a lot going for them. They are one of the select teams with some hype around them going into Spring Training. Don’t be mistaken, however, they still have a lot to prove. This is an organization that has not been over .500 since 2012. They are on the up and up but they still have to go out and prove themselves to the world. They expect to turn the corner in 2020, but a lot of things still need to go right for that to happen.
There are some players who are expected to have monster seasons like Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, and Jose Abreu. Then there are some new guys expected to make a major impact like Yasmani Grandal, Dallas Keuchel, and Edwin Encarnacion. A guy like Lucas Giolito is going to lead a much-improved pitching staff. Then there are some guys fighting for roster spots.
It is those guys fighting for the roster spots that could make the difference on whether or not this team makes the playoffs. Organizational depth is extremely important to being a playoff team in Major League Baseball. You more or less know what the previously mentioned players are going to provide in 2020 so some of these depth guys are the ones that could make the biggest impact on their chances at the playoffs.
There is also a chance that some of these guys bloom into key core pieces for the future. It is important for a couple of these guys to become great players for the organization for a long time. These are the five players fighting for Opening Day roster spots this spring:
Chicago White Sox. Nick Madrigal. 1. player. 128. . 2B
Nick Madrigal wasn’t given a fancy big contract extension before playing a single Major League game like Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez were. He needs to prove himself a little bit more before he gets his shot at the Major League level with the White Sox. There is a solid chance that he is with the team at some point this season, but he is fighting hard to be the Opening Day second baseman for this team.
He is looking like a guy who can be their second baseman for a long time. Things obviously need to go right for him for that to happen but the talent is there. That is why the White Sox took him at fourth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft. The White Sox see him as a great contact hitter that will make a significant impact with their organization for a long time.
The White Sox might play that service time game with Madrigal, but a strong Spring Training performance would make doing that very difficult. The White Sox might need every win they can get in 2020 so having the best lineup possible from Opening Day forward is extremely important. Hopefully, Madrigal forces their hand by being dominant in the spring.
Danny Mendick. 2. player. 128. . INF. Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox official depth chart has Danny Mendick all over the infield. The problem for him is that he isn’t listed as a starter at any of the positions he is capable of playing. He is listed as either backup or third-string at third base, shortstop, and second base. Chances are that he is never the full-time starter for the White Sox at any of these positions unless there are a plethora of injuries. That doesn’t mean that he can’t make the Opening Day roster and stick as a backup.
There is no shame in being a good backup on a winning baseball team. Most winning baseball teams need to be able to claim that they have depth at all positions. It is also key for Mendick to have the ability to play multiple positions. That should get him some playing time at different points throughout the season.
Another key for Mendick is to have a strong Spring Training performance. If he doesn’t play well in those games, he is likely not going to make the team. If he does play well, he will make the team. The ball is in his court as far as being a part of the opening day roster.
Chicago White Sox. Zack Collins . 3. player. 128. . C/1B
The Chicago White Sox might have the most loaded group of catchers in the game. They signed Yasmani Grandal to a big contract this offseason. They also had James McCann represent them at the All-Star Game for the American League. There is little room for Zack Collins to play catcher with any regularity without injuries to the other two guys. He is also listed as the 4th string first baseman and the backup designated hitter.
Collins was good enough in the Minor Leagues over the past few seasons to suggest that he is going to be a good MLB player. There might be limited room for him right now but a good spring should have him on the 26 man roster on Opening Day. He could be a guy that is used to hit and play defense at different points throughout the season. Whenever certain guys are getting rest days or injured, Collins should be there to back them up.
This also gives him an opportunity to continue developing. He really doesn’t have much more to learn in AAA unless he has a terrible Spring Training performance. If he were to be bad there then some more time in AAA might be in his future so this is a time for him to earn his roster spot.
SP. Chicago White Sox. Michael Kopech. 4. player. 128.
Michael Kopech might be the most exciting story to follow for Chicago White Sox fans. The hype was real when he was called up to the MLB at the end of the 2018 season. He then was abruptly cut short because he needed to undergo Tommy John‘s surgery which canceled the rest of 2018 and all of 2019 for him. This is an extremely important year for Kopech’s development.
He is likely hoping that he can be on the Opening Day roster. There are a lot more starting pitchers trying to crack the rotation this year so Kopech needs to be strong in the Spring to be in the rotation on day one. It is also a matter of health for him. He is part of the future plans as of right now so it isn’t like he should be worried about his future considerations right now. The most important thing is that his arm is ready to throw well again.
It might be in the cards to have him make a couple of AAA starts and ease him into the starting rotation. Kopech probably would want to be on the Opening Day roster, but his health is what makes him different than every other player on this list.
Chicago White Sox. Leury Garcia. 5. player. 128. . UTIL
When looking at Danny Mendick, you can see his name spread out over the depth chart. The same can be said to an even larger extent for Leury Garcia. He is listed right now as a backup for third base, shortstop, and all three outfield positions. He is also listed, for now, as the starting second baseman. This spring is extremely important for him to maintain his status as the starting second baseman on Opening Day.
It is unlikely that we will see him in the minors at any point this season so this is a big spring in terms of him being a starter. If Nick Madrigal plays better than him at any point during Spring Training, he could be in at second and Garcia could be out. What makes Garcia so valuable right now is that he can play basically every position. He is also a decent hitter for a backup position player.
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Garcia probably wants to be a starter so he might not be on the White Sox forever. This spring going well for him and earning a starting job at the start of the season could make another team that needs a full-time starter want to make a trade. Garcia wants to look as good as possible for whenever the White Sox decide to make that full time transition to Madrigal. It is good, however, to have a guy like him as a utility backup.