Chicago White Sox: Three trade packages for Zack Collins
With the addition of Jonathan Lucroy for a year, the Chicago White Sox might be willing to move Zack Collins. He has improved his trade value with a really good spring training. He has been one of Chicago’s best players during the exhibition season. He has a slash of .313/.421/.438 in 38 plate appearances. It is only spring training but it is an incredible improvement from his current MLB numbers. If they did want to trade him because his value is as high as it might ever be, these are three packages that might get it done:
The Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs would make good trade partners.
The Chicago White Sox might be wanting someone who can play left field if they permanently move Eloy Jimenez to designated hitter. Kris Bryant would be that perfect player for the White Sox to add in that position. The Chicago Cubs only have one year left with Bryant on his current deal and moving him might be tough right now.
He is going to want a big payday after the season and the Cubs don’t seem interested in giving it to him. The White Sox can absolutely afford it so this trade would be worth it. Bryant is worth more than just Zack Collins so it would take another good prospect, likely a pitcher.
The Cubs could use a catcher. They are likely going to move on from Willson Contreras in the near future too and they already moved Victor Caratini. Collins hitting his ceiling one day would really help them as they try to retool their roster. This is the type of trade that would help out both teams.
The Chicago White Sox could use a full-time right fielder if Colorado was willing.
The Chicago White Sox could use a little bit more help in the outfield. A full-time guy that can play right field would really help. Adding someone like Charlie Blackmon would really help. If he was willing to make a full-time transition to Chicago’s right field, he would be the perfect target in a trade. It would be nice for the Colorado Rockies to add a good young catcher like Zack Collins as well.
The Rockies are already one of the offseason’s biggest sellers. They traded one of the game’s greatest players in Nolan Arendao to the St. Louis Cardinals during the offseason. It is clear that the direction that they are going in leans towards a rebuild so trading Blackmon for a young prospect-type player would make a lot of sense.
They don’t really have a big-time catcher presence so if Collins can take that next step, he would sure look good doing it in that Rockies jersey. Coors Field is also a hitters park so his hitting might be able to take an even bigger step if he went and played there. This is a potential move that helps out both teams as they are headed in opposite directions.
The Chicago White Sox might want a catcher in exchange for Zack Collins.
If the Chicago White Sox want a catcher in exchange for Zack Collins, they might want to make a call with the San Francisco Giants. They have an all-time great in Buster Posey but his time is coming to an end. They might want to use someone like Collins in the present day until one of their top catching prospects is ready. He can also make the shift to first base if that day came sooner than later.
The Giants have two catchers in their top ten prospect pool. Their number two prospect is a catcher named Joey Bart. He was the second overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. He is the guy that they probably hope is the catcher of the future. Collins would be a good placeholder for him and he can even help him once he is ready. The DH is coming to the National League at some point (you would think) so that is an option too.
As for Patrick Bailey, the Giants selected him with the 13th overall pick of the first round in the 2020 MLB Draft. It will take even longer for him to be ready. He is the number six prospect for San Francisco right now so Bart is more well regarded at this time. If the White Sox added someone like Bailey, he might be ready right in time for Yasmanai Grandal’s departure in a few years.
Related Story. Potential replacements for Eloy Jimenez. light
We don’t know if the White Sox are actually going to trade Collins any time soon, it just felt that way before spring training started. Now, if anything, his value has gone up but that might make the White Sox think twice about it. Hopefully, whatever decision they make is one that helps them become a better organization.