New catching tandem bodes well for White Sox in 2016

The White Sox backstop will look quite different next season after offensive struggles saw Geovany Soto let go and Tyler Flowers non-tendered. With not much in the way of prospects coming up at the position, general manager Rick Hahn decided to attack the free agent market. The new tandem behind the plate in 2016 for the South Siders will be Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro.

Avila, a left-handed hitting catcher and former Detroit Tiger, was signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract last week. The Tigers opted to go in a different direction at catcher after the emergence of James McCann last season. Avila, 28, was a 2011 All-Star selection and Silver Slugger award winner.

The White Sox have not had a starting left-handed hitting catcher since A.J. Pierzynski from 2005 to 2012. Avila has had some success throughout his career at U.S. Cellular Ballpark in Chicago, batting .291 with three home runs and 19 RBI.

Though he offensive numbers have dipped with less playing time in Detroit, Avila’s catching defense is where he shines. He has a career .995 fielding percentage at the position. Some Sox players, including ace Chris Sale, have been vocal about how they enjoyed throwing to Flowers, but there should not be too much of a drop off with Avila as a replacement.

Splitting time with Avila will be Dioner Navarro, the former backup to Russell Martin in Toronto. Navarro was inked to a one-year, $4 million deal Friday afternoon. The veteran switch-hitting catcher should be able to provide some offensive pop to the lineup, something that was missing from Flowers and Soto last year. In Navarro’s last full season (min. 100 games), he compiled a .274 batting average with 12 home runs and 69 RBI.

Navarro is no stranger to having success against the Sox. In a Crosstown Classic game in 2013 when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs, Navarro smacked three home runs in a single game against the Sox.

Not only will the Sox have some added offense to the lineup from these moves, but they also aren’t tied into long-term contracts. Both signings were single-year deals, giving Hahn and the Sox some leeway if things don’t work out.

The Sox also announced the signing of former Cub Jacob Turner to a one-year, $1.5 million deal. Turner, 24, has had trouble staying healthy and was claimed off waivers by the Sox in October before being non-tendered Wednesday.