With the Chicago White Sox in the midst of a rebuild, the past few trade deadlines have been very busy for the organization. 2025 appears to be no exception, and the White Sox got started early.
The Sox dealt veteran catcher Matt Thaiss to the Tampa Bay Rays before Tuesday’s game against the Mets.
Thaiss, who turned 30 earlier this month, had been a pleasant surprise for the White Sox so far this season after being acquired in an offseason trade from the Cubs for cash considerations. Thaiss was hitting just .212 with the Sox, but had been an on-base machine, with a career high .382 OBP.
His 0.7 fWAR only trailed Chase Meidroth and Miguel Vargas among Sox position players.
Despite Thaiss’s surprisingly good start, the White Sox faced a logjam at the catcher position with the impending return of Korey Lee, and elected to move Thaiss to free up a spot. In exchange for Thaiss, the White Sox received outfielder Dru Baker from the Rays.
New White Sox outfielder Dru Baker
Baker, 25, is a former fourth-round draft pick by the Rays out of Texas Tech. He began the 2025 season with AAA-Durham before an injury landed him on the IL in late April.
Baker is known primarily as a good contact hitter with solid defense and well above-average speed. His .290 career average in the minor leagues is definitely promising, although he’s struggled to just a .206 average in his limited at-bats this season.
Baker showed average power at the lower levels of the minor leagues, but it has not translated to the upper levels so far. In 140 games in Double-A, Baker has just one home run. He also has one home run so far in 17 games at the AAA level. Even if the power never comes around, the speed and defense should play at the Major League level, so there's always a chance he has a big league impact eventually.
Baker takes a lot of pitches and has strong plate discipline. That has become a key trait the White Sox look for in young hitters.
At 25, Baker should be in the mix for Major League at bats toward the end of the season. The trade deadline could bring the departure of some of the veteran outfielders on the White Sox and open some opportunity for a guy like Baker.
Back-to-back seasons of 40+ stolen bases make him a definite threat on the basepaths. His lack of power profiles him as more of a 4th outfielder or late-game pinch runner/defensive replacement, but every team needs those reliable contributors on the bench, He could definitely have a role on the Major League club.
Baker will be activated off the Injured List and report to the Charlotte Knights, where he’ll get a chance to work with Ryan Fuller and the new and improved player development staff for the White Sox.
If Fuller and the staff can reignite his bat and bring out some of the power, Baker could find himself firmly in the mix for MLB at-bats in 2025 and beyond.