Chicago White Sox: 3 buy-low candidates to sign on a 1-year deal

Josh Harrison

Josh Harrison might be able to be a good utility player on the Chicago White Sox.

If the White Sox can’t bring back Leury Garcia as a utility player next season, then Josh Harrison could be a viable replacement. Harrison is coming off a solid 2021 campaign. He hit .294 in 90 games with the Washington Nationals before moving to Oakland where he continued to put up decent numbers. Harrison finished the season with a .279/.341/.400 slash line and a .800 OPS to boot.

Harrison will be entering his age 34-season. In 2014, he finished ninth in the MVP voting. He is not the player he once was but he is still a two-time All-Star who can play across the diamond. Harrison’s primary position is second base which is a glaring need for the White Sox.

Even if the White Sox don’t use him as an everyday second baseman (they shouldn’t because there are better options available) he can also play third base, left field, and right field. During his 11 year career, he has played two games in center field, one game at first base, and made one pitching appearance. Basically, you can plug him in anywhere on the diamond. He is the perfect bench piece.

He can serve as a pinch-runner, defensive sub late in games, a pinch hitter, and be in the starting lineup wherever the White Sox need him. Tony La Russa could also use him as a right-handed bat with plenty of versatility for matchup-based lineup construction.

Harrison is essentially a discount version of Leury Garcia, except he has the label “former All-Star” next to his name. He signed with the Nationals for $1 million and should go for a similar number this offseason.