After a year that brought out the worst in the Chicago White Sox both on and off the field, Getz is beginning to turn these unlovable losers into a team worth getting behind.
General manager Chris Getz is slowly starting to look like he deserves his job, as this offseason has consisted of several promising moves.
What started with the Sox hiring Will Venable as the next manager has now devolved into the Sox leaving winter meetings on a positive note. While they didn’t spend nearly as much as the Mets or Dodgers, Chicago stayed active and brought in five new players with bright futures.
Here are the grades of each player the Sox acquired during the 2024 MLB winter meetings...
Mike Tauchman
Palatine native, free agent outfielder Tauchman is coming to the Southside. In his last two years with the Cubs, he batted .250/.360/.372 with 15 home runs.
Outside of two years, his seven-year career hasn’t been impressive on offense. On defense, however, things are different. In 2019 he turned the fourth most double plays as a left fielder in the league and ranked No. 8 in defensive WAR, and in 2020 he ranked No. 1 in the league in outfield fielding percentage.
His experience at every outfield position adds further value to the Sox, who had some truly embarrassing viral moments in the outfield this year.
Tauchman is arguably the biggest MLB player the Sox have signed this offseason. While he’s not Juan Soto or Mookie Betts, he’s an upgrade over Dominic Fletcher and brings experience to a rather immature team.
He doesn’t need to win a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger Award to add value. And if history has proven anything, the Sox have always had luck poaching players from the Cubs.
Grade: B-
Kyle Teel
Getting Teel from the Red Sox is Chicago's highlight of the entire offseason.
Teel used to be Boston’s No. 4 prospect but has now improved to be Chicago’s No. 2. Last year between Double and Triple-A, he slashed .288/.386/.433 with 13 home runs and 12 stolen bases. On top of being a great hitter, he has a strong, accurate arm and knows how to steal strikes with his pitch framing.
His athleticism and ability to see the ball as a catcher and batter make him a well-rounded player poised to break out.
The Sox upgraded another position by adding Teel. As one of the best catching prospects, his offense outweighs Korey Lee’s, and his defense goes toe-to-toe at least with Lee’s, who quickly grew into the starting role during the second half of the summer.
While it’s uncertain how Teel and Lee will share split time at some point in 2025, the Sox can bank on having two solid catchers on hand.
Grade: A
Braden Montgomery
Montgomery has become the Sox’s new No. 5 prospect. Known for the power he’s recently developed in college, Montgomery finished a stellar year at Texas A&M, hitting .322/.454/.733, driving in 85 RBIs and hammering 27 home runs.
And that wasn’t even his best season. Montgomery is a two-way player but he plays in the outfield primarily. Though he knows how to play nearly every position in the outfield, he’s most suited for right field with his arm strength.
Without any minor league experience, it’s hard to tell how Montgomery will do with the Sox in the majors.
There’s no doubt that his college performance is nothing short of excellent, but he needs to be tested against MLB players. The Sox will surely lean into his strengths, which come from him playing in the outfield, to give him the best chance for success.
Only time will tell if trading Garrett Crochet for Montgomery pays off, but at a cursory glance, there’s little downside.
Grade: B
Chase Meidroth
Drafted in 2022, Meidroth is most known for his swing. His plate discipline and patience resulted in a .293/.437/.400 slash line with 128 hits and 105 walks over 122 games last year in Triple-A.
Beyond hitting, his scouting report indicates that there’s still plenty to improve with his fielding and baserunning. He’s played second, third, and short. He will likely have time at each position, given Yoán Moncada’s departure and general infield uncertainty.
Meidroth brings enough offensive promise to the Sox to counter his defensive mediocrity. His ability to draw walks and slap baseballs into gaps compares to a more offensive-forward version of Nick Madrigal, and his fast progression through Boston’s talented farm system should further instill confidence that acquiring Meidroth will only help not hurt.
If his defense stays the same, at least the Sox have another player who can get on base and generate scoring opportunities.
Grade: B-
Wikelman Gonzalez
Gonzalez is a hot and cold pitching prospect who can be a starter. Signed at 16 years old by the Red Sox in 2018, Gonzalez’s pitches naturally stump hitters.
His fastball doesn’t carry far and his offspeed curveball and changeup are punch-out pitches, especially to lefties. However, his biggest problem is control and keeping the ball in the strike zone. Gonzalez’s control issues explain his 4.73 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in Double-A this year.
With enough fine-tuning, Gonzalez could slot into the second or third starting spot on Chicago’s rotation. Perhaps with Sox director of pitching Brian Bannister and pitching coach Ethan Katz, he will improve his mechanics and become a more accurate pitcher.
But given Chicago’s habit of hampering pitching potential, things aren’t looking positive for Gonzalez. Hopefully, Getz will reassess the coaching staff and make changes to give Gonzalez and other pitching prospects the best path to success.