Baseball free agency is heating up as the weather gets colder. This week we are breaking down 10 potential free-agent targets for the White Sox ahead of the Winter Meetings.
Nicholas Castellanos, OF, Cubs
Age: 27
2019 salary: $9,950,000
2019 stats: .289 BA, .337 OBP, .525 SLG, .863 OPS, 27 HR, 73 RBI, 100 R, 2/4 SB
What Castellanos would bring to the White Sox
Castellanos fills a need in the outfield, specifically right field. In 2019, the White Sox trotted out a right field platoon of Ryan Cordell (72 games), Leury Garcia (45 games), Jon Jay (33 games), Charlie Tilson (30 games) and Daniel Palka (23 games). Needless to say, the White Sox need an upgrade at that position.
MLB
There aren't any major right field prospects that appear to be ready to contribute in 2020 so if the White Sox want to get better in the outfield, they have to look externally.
Castellanos struggled against the White Sox early in his career, but since 2017 he has hammered the South Siders. His numbers against the White Sox in each of the last three years tell the story of why many Sox fans want him:
2017: .303/.387/.561
2018: .363/.414/.625
2019: .389/.410/.722
The 27-year-old was with the Tigers his entire career until a trade deadline move to the Cubs. He lit up the National League and appeared to revitalize the Cubs' playoff hopes until the team collapsed down the stretch.
Castellanos hit .273/.328/.462 in 439 plate appearances with the Tigers. With the Cubs he hit .321/.356/.646. Either he was rejuvenated by the trade, faced a number of National League pitchers less familiar with him or he figured something out in his swing and this was a true breakout.
Either way, he's in the prime of his career and has a track record of being a solid hitter. What he doesn't have is a solid track record on defense. He's a below average defender in the outfield.
While Castellanos would fill a hole in the White Sox lineup, him and Eloy Jimenez in the same defensive outfield is less than ideal. In this scenario, Luis Robert would (eventually) have a ton of ground to cover in center field.
What it would take to get him
Castellanos debuted in the majors at 21 so he's hitting free agency younger than most in this class. That will make him more expensive and could be enough to convince a team to give him a long-term deal of more than four years.
He's not an elite bat (other than his two months with the Cubs), but he's solidly above average. His best years might still be ahead of him. Considering his defense, he's probably not a $20 million player, but he could be in the $15-$17 million per year range.
Why it's a fit for the White Sox
As mentioned above, it's about replacing a clear weak spot in the order with a good bat. Castellanos knows the AL Central from his years with the Tigers.
The outfield defense is a concern, but Castellanos should be within a price range the White Sox can reach and he's young enough to fit in with the long-term future of the team.
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