Since Mike Shirley took over the White Sox scouting director position in 2020, the team has seen a great deal of success from their first round picks. Garrett Crochet, the team’s first-round pick during Shirley’s first season, has become one of the premiere starting pitchers in all of baseball. Colson Montgomery, Noah Schultz, Jacob Gonzalez, and Hagen Smith have each looked at times like impact big leaguers. Before Shirley took over, however, the results weren’t as strong. Now, one failed White Sox first-round pick is getting another shot in the big leagues.
The White Sox selected Nick Madrigal with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 draft after an impressive junior season at Oregon State. At just 5”7, Madrigal was never going to be a big-time slugger, but the White Sox believed he could be one of the best pure contact hitters in baseball, while also utilizing strong baserunning and defense. Madrigal showed that potential during his first full season, hitting .311 over three minor league levels in 2019. He made his big league debut during the shortened 2020 season and hit .340 in 103 at bats in 2020. The White Sox handed Madrigal the reins at second base for 2021, and he continued his strong average until a knee injury ended his season after just 54 games.
With the 2021 White Sox in win-now mode, they made the difficult decision to trade Madrigal to the Cubs at the deadline for reliever Craig Kimbrel. Madrigal’s injury prevented him from playing for the Cubs until 2022, and he was never able to get back to the level he did with the White Sox, hitting just .249 with no home runs in his first season with the Cubs. His 2023 and 2024 seasons weren’t much better, as he posted OPS marks of just .663 and .536 in those seasons. Madrigal was non-tendered by the Cubs and signed with the Mets, but a shoulder injury wiped out his entire 2025 season. He once again elected free agency and landed a minor league deal with the Angels this offseason.
Angels injuries have given Nick Madrigal new life in the big leagues
In 38 games so far this season, Madrigal has a .275 average and a .719 OPS for Triple-A Salt Lake, and the Angels injury troubles have necessitated his call-up to the big leagues. Now 29 years old, Madrigal will get an opportunity to revive his big league career and finally regain his 2021 form. He’s never been a big power hitter, so his primary impact will come from hitting for contact. Unlike other players of his type, he’s not a very patient hitter, but he also doesn’t strike out much. Instead, it’s a ton of soft ground-balls that have become the staple for his profile.
Nick Madrigal starts us off extending his on-base streak to 19 games with an RBI single ✊ pic.twitter.com/d7phP5rdLm
— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) May 24, 2026
Is it particularly likely that a 29 year-old journeyman will suddenly regain his solid form of five years ago? No, but Madrigal certainly hasn’t given up yet, and the Angels have given him that opportunity. Sometimes, all it takes is one more chance.
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