Why Former First Round Pick Could Be Smart Gamble For White Sox

The White Sox have already indicated they don't plan on spending much money in free agency. With their reported “top target” Austin Slater already inked to a $1.75 million deal the rest of the offseason could be relatively quiet outside of a lingering Garrett Crochet trade. However, some small supplemental moves will still need to be made. 

While Slater helps fill the void in right field there is still a hole at second base that needs to be addressed. White Sox general manager Chris Getz previously said that the organization wouldn’t be “working heavy in free agency” because it had players on the field that “need to improve their game.” However second base is a position that the White Sox simply don’t have anyone lined up. 

Nicky Lopez, who started 72 games at second base for the White Sox, elected free agency after being placed on waivers. Lenyn Sosa, who is seen as the frontrunner for the job, owns a -1.7 WAR and is slashing .229/.257/.347 in 163 career games. The White Sox top-rated second base prospect Caleb Bonemer, isn’t projected to reach the big leagues until 2028. 

Enter Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers was recently non-tendered by the Rockies after six seasons in Colorado and is exactly the type of player Getz should be targeting this offseason. 

The former third-overall pick out of Flordia’s Lake Mary High School has spent his entire career with the Rockies. In 1829 plate appearances he owns a .266/.316/.409 slash line with 45 home runs, 197 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 90. Rodgers consistently hit the ball hard last season, batting .266 with 13 homers and 54 RBIs. His 44 percent hard-hit rate ranked in the MLB’s 70th percentile. 

While Rodgers won’t be in the conversation for a Gold Glove Award anytime soon he has proved to be a capable defender. While he owns a -5 Outs Above Average mark for his career he had a whooping +22 Defensive Runs Saved in 2022, leading all NL second baseman in putouts and assist. For his career, he has 12 Defensive Runs Saved. 

As the White Sox front office buys time for their top prospects to graduate to the major league level they might as well experiment with former top prospects to see if anyone can stick. While the 28-year-old Rodgers only had a 1.1 WAR last season, there is some potential upside the White Sox could try and tap into.

Taking fliers on former top 100 prospects is a strategy the White Sox have implemented in the past with players such as  Devi Garcia and Brent Honeywell. In Rodgers, they would be getting a player who would represent a slight offensive upgrade from what they were getting out of second base last season. 

He would also be a cheap investment and could be flipped at the deadline if he is playing well. Rodgers was projected to make roughly $5 million in arbitration, which was too rich for the Rockies taste. In free agency, the White Sox could probably nab him for somewhere around $3 million. Given how difficult it has been for the White Sox to find a long-term solution at second base, it couldn’t hurt to begin taking fliers on players like Rodgers.