Chicago White Sox: 3 realistic trade packages that improve the team

The Chicago White Sox could really use a backup catcher going into 2022.

Another Arizona Diamondbacks player the White Sox could inquire about is catcher Carson Kelly. After a breakout second half from Daulton Varsho, the Diamondbacks may be ready to give him the full-time starting catcher job.

Kelly may be known more for his presence at the plate than behind it but he is no slouch behind the dish either. The Seby Zavala and Zack Collins projects haven’t seemed to work out for the White Sox and Kelly would be a solid addition to backup Yasmani Grandal.

Kelly is set to make $5.25 million in 2022 and will have another two years of arbitration after that.

A trade package for Kelly, if separate from the Marte trade, could look something like this:

RHP Caleb Freeman and OF Blake Rutherford for C Carson Kelly.

Freeman is purely a reliever but has shown good stuff in his two years in the minors and carries a career 2.88 ERA and can bring a solid reliever to the Diamondbacks as they look to turn the corner on their rebuild.

Rutherford is a career .272 hitter in the minor leagues and has a nice left-handed stroke that can send the ball to anywhere in the field. He will need some work before he makes the jump into the pros, but if things pan out, he could be a solid addition to the Diamondbacks outfield, especially if they move on from some of their current outfielder pieces.