With the MLB draft concluding today and the trade deadline less than three weeks away, the White Sox will soon shift their full attention to fielding trade offers on their players. As one of the clear-cut sellers on the market, several players should generate interest from other clubs. Catcher Korey Lee falls into that category, as Dennis Lin of The Athletic has reported that the San Diego Padres have interest in trading for the White Sox catcher.
San Diego's Catching Woes
The Padres enter the All-Star break with a record of 52-44, good enough for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League. They are having a strong season in the very competitive NL West despite getting negative value from their catchers. Veterans Elías Díaz and former White Sox catcher Martín Maldonado have combined for -1.8 bWAR, a .195 batting average, and a .562 OPS this season. The catching position is the weak link in their lineup, and it makes sense that they are looking to upgrade.
Lee's Intrigue
As for Lee, the 26-year-old catcher has spent the bulk of the 2025 season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, where he has hit .262/.342/.438 with six home runs in 34 games. He did hit 12 home runs in 125 games with the White Sox big league club last season while providing well above average pop times and arm strength behind the plate. Lee is also significantly younger than Díaz and Maldonado and has four and a half years of team control remaining, making him a potentially long-term solution behind the plate for the Padres.
White Sox Strong Catching Depth
The White Sox already traded away veteran catcher Matt Thaiss to the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this season, and it makes sense for the team to listen to offers for Lee as well. With top prospects Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel firmly entrenched at the MLB level, they are the catchers of the future on the South Side. Barring injuries, there is no longer a path for Lee to get significant playing time with the big league club. As such, it could make sense to trade from an area of strength to help provide more depth at another position. The team also traded for catcher Blake Sabol over the weekend as a depth option, adding further speculation that Lee could be on the move soon.
Potential Win/Win Trade
Determining Lee's value is the big question in this scenario. While he doesn't have much of a track record at the MLB level, he offers an intriguing blend of power and arm strength behind the plate. He is also still relatively young and has a lot of team control. The Padres have several infielders and outfielders throughout their top 30 prospects list, so a one-for-one swap involving Lee and one of those prospects could make sense for both sides. A trade of that nature would reinforce San Diego's catching situation, while providing another young player to restock the White Sox farm system.
While nothing is official, a potential trade sending Korey Lee to the Padres is worth monitoring. This possibility is just one in what will likely be dozens of scenarios Chris Getz and the rest of the White Sox front office will be discussing over the next few weeks. Expect the White Sox roster to look very different by August 1st.
