Chicago White Sox: Three players on the hot seat in spring training

The Chicago White Sox love having Danny Mendick in their back pocket.

Danny Mendick came out of nowhere in 2019 and became a contributor in the big leagues. Being the odd man out is of no fault of his own. Mendick is an excellent defender who was a Gold Glove candidate in 2020. He also provides some versatility in the infield. He showed some pop offensively as well hitting .308 in 16 games in 2019 in the MLB and launching 17 home runs in Triple-A Charlotte.

Unfortunately for Mendick, there is a traffic jam of infielders. He has no shot of beating out Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson, or Nick Madrigal. He could be a utility player but Luery Garica stands as a roadblock. Garcia can play six different positions between the infield and outfield. Garcia is also the longest-tenured player in the organization so the chances of him losing his job are slim.

The other position player off the bench is Adam Engel. Engel’s defensive prowess will be too much for Mendick to overcome. With Eloy Jimenez in left field, Engel serves as a valuable defensive replacement as well as the occasional starter.

It is possible that the White Sox choose to go with three utility men off the bench but that would take a player out of the bullpen so it is unlikely Tony La Russa will opt to do so. If Mendick wants to remain on the Major League roster he will have to prove his worth this spring.