Cal Mitchell is not a headline-stealing signing made by the Chicago White Sox, but given the current state of the franchise, these are moves the front office should make.
The Sox signed Mitchell to a minor-league deal with an invite to make the big-league club in spring training.
This is the type of player the Sox should be targeting off the free-agent scrap heap.
General manager Chris Getz announced before the team even broke the single-season record for defeats in a 162-game season that they would not be spending much in free agency. So that means the team will be shopping at the figurative discount rack of free agency for roster upgrades. Although, if Austin Slater is the team's top free-agent target, they are likely rummaging through the scrap heap section.
A portion of the jaded fan base is not going to like reading this. If the Sox will not spend much to improve the roster, then they need to see if they can salvage other team's failed top picks with the new development infrastructure the front office has put in place.
Mitchell fits that as he was a former second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Since they took him out of high school in 2017, he is still relatively young as he will be 26 when next season starts.
He might be nothing more than a Four-A player, as his Triple-A numbers are great. He has a .287/.358/.487 slash line in four seasons at that level. Mitchell has belted 40 career home runs at Triple-A, including 22 last season when he was part of the San Diego Padres system.
He possesses a career .222 average in 216 at-bats in the majors with the Pirates. He played in 69 games in 2022 and just two in 2023.
Mitchell has played 437 career big-league innings in right field where he had a -4 defensive runs saved and outs above average.
If the new director of hitting, Ryan Fuller, can unlock something, Mitchell then might become a player the team can trade at a future trade deadline or use as a bridge player until something more viable comes along.
Remember, you do not get Scott Podsednik being a 2005 World Series hero if the Milwaukee Brewers did not sign him off the figurative scrap heap in 2003 and gave him a shot.
At a minimum, Mitchell is at least a non-roster invite that still could have some good baseball ahead of him instead of signing has-beens like Getz did last offseason.
He brought in a washed-up veteran such as Rafael Ortega this past spring training, and when he eventually got a chance to help the White Sox, he was detriment with a .071 average.
Better to sometimes take a chance on a never was than a has been. At least the never was still has an opportunity to turn into something like Brent Rooker or David Ortiz.
It is unlikely Mitchell will reach that status, but given the time wasted on Ortega or veteran Kevin Pillar this season, it is better to see if there is still a productive hitter in Mitchell. At the very least, maybe he gives the team a brief jolt like Corey Julks did when he was acquired midway through this season.
At a minimum, Mitchell is a depth piece that can play the outfield at Triple-A Charlotte and hopefully give a few weeks at the big-league level if there is an injury.