Adam Engel is going to be a huge part of the 2021 Chicago White Sox.
With probably one of the coolest nicknames on the team, Adam Engel earned ‘Man of Steel’ by saving the day multiple times at the warning track. For as long as we have known him, Engel has been a reliable fielder. We also have known him to be the anchor weighing down any momentum in the lineup.
He is still solid with the bat and shows signs of improvement but a career .222/276/.343 slash is not one you want in a starting outfielder on a World Series contender. That player on that team is an excellent depth piece, though. In case any of the three outfielders go down due to an injury, Engel is the type of player that can let fans sleep a bit easier until the starter returns because of his defensive abilities.
Considering the White Sox’s loaded offensive talent, he does not have to be above average with a bat in a temporary starting gig. To be a run-saver in the field is just as valuable as being a run producer in the box for a depth player and Engel has that value.
He does struggle offensively historically but his bat has been heating up. In his first three years in the MLB, Engel has not recorded an average higher than .245 and hasn’t posted an OPS higher than .690. However, he finished in the 2020 season hot. It was a shortened season, but he finished with a .295 average and a .811 OPS. The coaches and scouts have pointed out Engel’s offensive progression and have hyped up the secret weapon.
He sustained a leg injury last week which is said to keep him out for at most another two weeks so hopefully, his flow is not killed by this setback. Following the left shoulder injury to Eloy Jiménez, that outfield needs as much help as possible.