Could the Chicago White Sox have gotten a better trade return for Garrett Crochet?

The Chicago White Sox traded Garrett Crochet to a team that matched up well with their needs for impact bats.

The Boston Red Sox sent the White Sox a solid return of four prospects who all have a chance to contribute to the big-league team someday.

Catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Braden Montgomery are considered top 100 prospects and were first-round picks. Infielder Chase Meidroth might be the modern-day Greek god of walks (Moneyball reference for those wondering) with his high on-base percentages in the minors.

He also might be the White Sox Opening Day second baseman. Finally, Wikelman Gonzalez has the chance to at least be a solid bullpen arm.

Some fans were hoping for a higher return.

That is fair.

The Red Sox gave up their fourth, fifth, 11th, and 14th-ranked prospects. It would have been nice to get Romany Anthony, Boston's No. 1 prospect and the No. 3 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The problem is teams are not trading their top prospects and top 10 overall once they hit Double-A.

The economics of having a young player on a cheap deal who can likely contribute at a high level is a driver for that. There was speculation the Red Sox might trade their second-best prospect Marcelo Mayer for Crochet, but that turned out to not be the case.

There is a portion of the fan base not pleased with the White Sox getting another top-catching prospect, considering the team already has Edgar Quero.

This team just lost a record 121 games, so the franchise needs to add premium talent whenever it can get it. Plus, you can always move Quero or Teel to first. Teel can also play the outfield.

There will always be the possibility of wondering if the White Sox could have gotten a better deal from another team.

It is fair, considering there were a lot of teams that were reportedly interested in Crochet, especially the reported teams that were the finalists.

It is worth diving into seeing if the Sox could have done better with the established parameters of thinking the Sox getting a similar return of those teams' fourth, fifth, 11th, and 14th-ranked prospects.

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves would have traded shortstop Nacho Alvarez Jr., catcher Drake Baldwin, outfielder Luis Guanipa, and pitcher Jhancarlos Lara.

In a lot of ways this mirrors what the White Sox got from Boston in terms of three position players and a pitcher.

Except Alvarez Jr. and Baldwin are not ranked in the top 100.

Nacho got a cup of coffee with the Braves this season and had a .861 OPS at Triple-A this season. Baldwin also is at Triple-A, and had a .891 OPS. Again, the Sox would be adding a catcher so there would be folks upset with that part of the deal.

The Sox would have gotten players closer to the big-league level but without the headline of being top 100 guys. That might not have gone over too well with the masses.

Guanipa is 18 and at Single-A while Lara is 21 at Double-A. Guanipa and Lara are both the equivalent of lottery scratch-off prospects. High ceilings but might not even get to the big leagues.

This would not be a better deal than what the Sox got from Boston.

New York Yankees

The Sox would have gotten shortstop Roderick Arias, pitchers Will Warren and Henry Lalane, and outfielder Brando Mayea.

This would be a huge risk as Arias, Lalane, and Mayea are at A-ball or lower. Warren made five starts for the Yankees this season and posted a 10.32 ERA and had a high ERA in the minors.

It is a good thing the Sox avoided the Yankees as it is hard to see them trading their top prospect and No. 14 overall, Jasson Dominguez, especially after Juan Soto has departed via free agency.

Again, thank your lucky stars the Sox did not do business with New York.

Cincinnati Reds

The White Sox would have received infielders Sal Stewart and Cam Collier, pitcher Julian Aguiar, and outfielder Mike Sirota.

Another package that would be comparable to what the White Sox got from Boston, especially when it comes to top-100 talent. However, both Stewart and Collier are lower down the top-100 list.

Both are former first-round picks. The difference is Boston was able to send Teel, who is at Triple-A. Steward and Collier are both at A-ball, so there would be a longer wait with these two headlining the deal. Whereas, Teel might be up by midseason in 2025 and Montgomery is projected to be a fast riser too.

Still, a great return as Stewart had a .845 OPS at High-A. Collier comes with strikeout concerns, but he is still young enough to learn some patience at the plate.

Aguiar started seven games for the Reds during his cup of coffee with the big-league team. He posted a 6.25 ERA in seven starts. He did have a 3.38 ERA in 13 starts at Double-A. He had a 1.21 WHIP between Double-A and Triple-A.

Sirota was the Reds' third-round pick this year and did not officially play in the Complex League. The Reds would have given as close to an equal return as what the Sox got from Boston.

Philadelphia Phillies

This will always be the great what-if as there were reports the Phillies were willing to trade their top prospect, Aidan Miller. However, the Sox demanded Philadelphi's second-best prospect, pitcher Andrew Painter, to be included.

The Phillies refused to give up those two who are ranked among the top 35 prospects in all of baseball.

Still, the Phillies could have sent shortstop Starlyn Caba, catcher Eduardo Tait, outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr., and infielder Aroon Escobar. That would have been an impressive return.

Caba is a top-100 prospect, but he is at A-ball. The same goes for Tait. While both have tremendous upside, it will be a while for them to get to the big leagues.

Rincones Jr. has really good power and Escobar is also another very young prospect with impressive upside.

The difference is Boston had three players who are closer to the big leagues, and Philadelphia could only offer one. It sounds like the Sox took the safe deal instead of the risky one.