White Sox DFA Utility Infielder Following Maldonado Signing

The White Sox designated infielder Zach Remillard for assignment on Friday, following the official announcement that catcher Martin Maldonaldo has agreed to a one-year deal worth  $4.25 with a club option for 2025. 

Remillard made his MLB debut last season, hitting .252/.295/.320 in 147 at-bats. The 29-year-old rookie played 54 games with the White Sox and found himself scattered across six different positions. The bulk of his time was spent at second base where he recorded 260 2/3 innings, however, he also saw seven games at third base, seven in right field, five in left field and four at shortstop. 

The move comes as a bit of a surprise considering manager Pedro Grifol’s desire to play faster next season. Remillard fit the mold for the type of player Grifol was looking for. His sprint speed ranked in the MLB’s 78th percentile, he was a versatile defender and very good at bunting. 

Remillard’s first hit in the MLB was on a bunt single. It is a skill that he has shown since college. Back in 2016, Remillard led Coastal Carolina in home runs with 19. However, during the College World Series Final, he laid down a drag bunt for a single. He ended up going 8-for-8 in attempted bunt hits on the year. 

As things currently stand, Romy Gonzalez is in line to be the White Sox utility infielder next season. If the front office signs another second baseman then Nicky Lopez could slot into that role. 

Remillard was one of the few feel-good stories for the White Sox last season. It took him 5665 innings, 2411 at-bats, and 694 games in the minor leagues before getting the call-up from Triple-A Charlotte. However, he made quite the first impression when he finally broke into the big leagues on July 17th. 

Remillard became just the seventh player in White Sox history and the first player since 1988 to record three-plus hits in his MLB debut. He was also the first White Sox player to reach base four times since Johnny Callison in 1958, according to stat guru Chris Kamka. He finished 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs. Those three hits included the game-tying RBI in the ninth inning, and the game-winning RBI in the 11th inning. He also fielded the final out of the game for good measure.  

Unfortunately for Remillard, the rest of his season didn’t go as smoothly. He posted high strikeout numbers and struggled to make hard contact. He went down on strikes in 30% of his at-bats while also posting an expected batting average of .200. 

The front office now has seven days to try to trade Remillard, place him on waivers, or outright him to the minor leagues. His ability to play multiple positions may be enough for another team to take a flier on him given his relatively small MLB sample size.