Chicago White Sox: A look at the Center Field Market

The Chicago White Sox are one of many teams caught in the middle at this point in the season. They are close in their division and the wildcard, but just far enough out that it’s not entirely plausible for them to make the playoffs without player changes. Some teams in the same situation choose to sell while others choose to buy. The White Sox may not be ready to go in full “buy” mode, but they have a clear need in the roster.

The White Sox are looking into trading for a center fielder, so who are their options? With such a small group of teams committed to selling and trading away good talent, the market is incredibly thin. There aren’t a whole lot of center field options, but if the White Sox can expand to consider corner outfielders it could become easier for them. With Adam Eaton on the team, he can always move back to center field if the corner outfielder they trade for has enough range and speed.

With that said, this list contains a couple center field options as well as a couple corner outfield options. It appears as though the White Sox would prefer to keep Adam Eaton in right field, which means they are looking heavily into players that play center field well defensively. They were willing to look past Austin Jackson‘s failures at the plate because of his defense, so one would assume that they will do the same for any player they might trade for.

While none of the players on this list would really send the White Sox into contention, they would all be good replacements for Austin Jackson. Depending on how much the White Sox are willing to give up, they may or may not be able to get a couple of the better players. If they are willing to settle for an Austin Jackson-like player, a quick trade should be possible for them.

Next: The Padre

The White Sox already set up a good relationship with the Padres front office this season when they traded for James Shields. The trade hasn’t really been fruitful for either team, but the Padres were happy to unload some of Shields’ contract while taking on a project player in Erik Johnson. With that relationship already set up, there is a possibility that the White Sox would be interested in Padres center fielder Jon Jay.

Jon Jay had spent his entire career in the St. Louis Cardinals system before being traded to the Padres in the winter. His 2016 numbers are pretty good as far as his slash line goes with .296/.345/.407, but his 21.4% strikeout rate is a bit high while his 5.5% walk rate is somewhat low. He has been good in CF, enough so that he would stay there and allow Adam Eaton to play right field.

The biggest problem regarding Jon Jay to the White Sox is his injury. The White Sox want a replacement for Jackson, who has an uncertain timetable for his return. Jon Jay has a fractured bone in his right hand, which has put him out for the month of July. If the White Sox made a move for Jon Jay, it would almost be a moot point. Trading for an injured center fielder to replace an injured player doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but Jay was worth bringing up because he’s the exact type of player the White Sox are both looking for and can afford.

Jon Jay likely won’t be headed to the south side of Chicago because of his injury, but he provides a mold for who the White Sox are looking into. They would like to work with a team they are comfortable with. They would also like to acquire the player without having to give up their best prospects.

Next: Another Team with Good Relations

Kole Calhoun is another outfielder that does not play center field, but could be very good in right field next to Adam Eaton in center. There hasn’t been any talk of the Angels being interested in trading Calhoun, but if they do decide to trade him the White Sox would certainly be interested. He has the most pop in his bat out of almost any of the guys on this list, which the White Sox are always interested in.

Calhoun is hitting .288/.362/.439 with 10 home runs and 47 driven in. He is striking out at a pretty average rate of 17.3% and his walk rate is pretty good at 9.7%. He could slot into the White Sox lineup pretty well to hit behind guys like Todd Frazier and Melky Cabrera. He’s been good in the field, but once again, does not play center. 

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If the White Sox are looking purely at center field options, Calhoun probably gets passed over; however, if they are willing to budge on keeping Adam Eaton in right field, Calhoun may be a really great fit for Chicago. He has pop in his bat, but he is also getting on base at a good rate. All of that while he plays a pretty good right field and would be compatible with Adam Eaton in center.

Because the Angels have not expressed interest in trading Calhoun, it’s hard to gauge the value he has to teams. The White Sox would prefer to stay away from their top two prospects that they have called up recently this season, Carson Fulmer and Tim Anderson, but the rest of the system is almost entirely up for grabs. If the White Sox are serious about wanting to improve the outfield, it would be a good move to give up a couple prospects for Kole Calhoun.

Next: The Pipe Dream

Blackmon is the best center fielder on the market right now. With the Rockies in almost full sell mode, it appears as though they are ready to part with the 30 year old outfielder. The Rockies and White Sox don’t have a recent history of trades, but the White Sox have expressed interest in trades. This means that the Rockies are probably somewhat familiar with the White Sox system and know what they would want in return.

Blackmon is hitting .310/.374/.493 with 12 home runs and 43 RBI. He would provide more than simply filling in for Austin Jackson; he would be an addition that would help the White Sox contend in their division and the wild card. The White Sox would certainly be interested in adding him to the fold. With an outfield of Melky Cabrera, Charlie Blackmon, and Adam Eaton they would be among some of the best in the American League.

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So what’s the issue here? Well, the White Sox farm system is incredibly bare; beyond the top few guys, there isn’t much that teams would want. If the Rockies are interested in pitching the White Sox could trade Carson Fulmer, Spencer Adams, and Tyler Danish (or a combination of two of them with another player), but it seems like the White Sox are reluctant to part with Danish and Fulmer, whom they’ve given Major League chances to this season.

This would be a huge move for the White Sox, but it’s uncertain whether it would be possible. Adding Blackmon to the team would make them contenders, provided they didn’t give up Major League talent in the trade. Adding Blackmon would also put the White Sox farm system in an even more dire situation than it already was. Knowing how the White Sox operate, it seems like they would be more willing to go all in on Blackmon.

Next: The Reasonable Option

The Braves are clearly in sell mode this season, so it makes sense to take a good hard look at their group of players. Their center fielder, Ender Inciarte, could be a very good fit with the White Sox. He’s a speedy outfielder that plays well in the field. He has hit well in the past, but is struggling this season.

In 2016 he’s hitting .227/.294/.306 with a 11.4% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk rate. His inabilities to get on base this season could be a warning sign to the White Sox, but just a year ago he hit .303/.338/.408. If he could rest somewhere in the middle of the two seasons’ slash lines, he would be a good add for the White Sox over J.B. Shuck, who currently resides in center field.

By far the most attractive thing about Inciarte is that he wouldn’t require a huge package of players to move him to Chicago. The White Sox would only have to give up one of their pitching prospects and maybe one of their hitting prospects, which wouldn’t hinder their farm system too much. If the White Sox are looking for a player to simply replace Jackson while he is on the DL, Inciarte is a great fit. He will provide a similar type of defense and still an upgrade at the plate over Shuck.

Next: Five Hitters Like to Hit Worse in Second Half

Inciarte may not be the prettiest option for the White Sox, but he sure seems like the most realistic and attainable one.