Chicago White Sox talking up Oscar Colas for 2023

The Chicago White Sox are going to have plenty of moves to make, especially in the outfield.

Eloy Jimenez is expected to see more time as the White Sox designated hitter. Andrew Vaughn is moving from the outfield to first base. AJ Pollock declined his $13 million player option and is a free agent. The White Sox will have plenty of work to do as they look to restock their roster.

Chicago White Sox eyeing internal option for outfield

It turns out that they may have an internal option as part of those plans. General manager Rick Hahn reportedly feels that Cuban prospect Oscar Colas will be ready to be a major league regular in 2023, potentially serving as the answer in right field.

Colas had a solid showing in 2022, helping to justify some of the hype about his bat when he initially signed in Japan. He put together a .314/.371/.524 batting line with 23 homers and 24 doubles in his 526 plate appearances between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. The production says that Colas should be ready.

But it is a matter of the competition he played against. He has just 58 games of experience above A-ball, with only seven of those at Triple-A. His swing and miss concerns were on display in that brief time in Charlotte as he struck out 12 times with just two walks in his 33 plate appearances.

In the end, the White Sox may not have much of a choice. While the likes of Joc Pederson and Andrew Benintendi would be perfect fits on the roster, there will be plenty of teams bidding for their services. It is a matter of what the White Sox are willing to pay in order to bring them on board. Colas, if nothing else, would be a cost effective option allowing the team to make a larger splash in free agency.

The Chicago White Sox are viewing Oscar Colas as an option for their outfield in 2023. He may be a gamble they have to take to fill out their roster.