White Sox add former first-round draft pick to roster as latest reclamation project

Despite the MLB season coming to an end this week, roster moves are still happening around the league.

The Chicago White Sox made a move on Wednesday afternoon, claiming outfielder Derek Hill on waivers from the Miami Marlins and placing outfielder Mike Tauchman on the Injured List. 

Mike Tauchman is done for the season

Landing on the IL puts an end to 34 year-old Mike Tauchman's season, who became a consistent veteran presence in the White Sox lineup in 2025.

Tauchman slashed .263/.356/.400 and hit nine (9) home runs, good for a .756 OPS for the year. Hamstring injuries got Tauchman off to a slow start, but he became a solid producer once he returned.

The White Sox will have a decision to make on Tauchman, who has one year left of arbitration despite his age. With Braden Montgomery coming, but unlikely to be ready for Opening Day 2026, the Sox could elect to bring Tauchman back as a veteran stopgap in the outfield.

Alternatively, it’s unclear how much money Chris Getz will be allowed to spend this offseason, so saving money on Tauchman’s deal could allow Getz to afford a bigger upgrade elsewhere. 

Derek Hill joins the White Sox

On the other side of the transaction, Derek Hill joins the White Sox after spending the past year and a half in Miami.

A former first-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers, Hill made his Major League debut for Detroit in 2020. He played parts of 2021 and 2022 with the Tigers, but never got an extended look as an everyday player before being designated for assignment in August of 2022.

Since then, Hill has spent time with the Mariners, Nationals, Rangers, Giants, and Marlins. Overall, Hill has played in 214 career games at the Major League level, where he owns a .228 average and a .624 OPS.

His bat has flashed power at times, but he’s never been able to consistently put it together.

Defensively, Hill has played all three outfield spots and has solid numbers. His 30.1 mph sprint speed makes him one of the fastest players in all of baseball. His tools are loud, and it’s easy to see why the Tigers used a first round pick on Hill's upside back in 2014.

While it seems unusual for the White Sox to make a move like this with only a handful of games left in the season, Hill is currently in his final year of pre-arbitration, meaning he has three more years of control before he hits free agency.

Hill will turn 30 in December, so the White Sox will control him through his age 33 season. While it’s unlikely that Hill will amount to anything more than a role player on a competitive White Sox team, the White Sox obviously see something they like, and it’s worth taking a flyer on.

Ryan Fuller and the revamped hitting development staff have done a nice job with a couple veterans this season, and Chris Getz just brought them their next reclamation project.