Teams Eaton up the White Sox fire Sale
In the past 48 hours, the Chicago White Sox have given a completely new look to their organization. The Winter Meetings normally get the hot stove cooking with blockbuster trades and signings and the White Sox are the "winners" so far.
On Tuesday, the White Sox traded Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz. Sale is in the conversation for the best pitcher in baseball and adds an elite arm to the Boston staff. Sale will be pitching alongside Cy Young Award winners David Price and Rick Porcello.
Moncada is listed as MLB.com's #1 prospect in all of baseball. With trade rumors surrounding Todd Frazier, I expect Moncada to be on the opening day roster for the White Sox as the starting second baseman. Kopech was the #5 prospect in the Red Sox organization. From the mound, Kopech sits around 95-97, while consistently touching triple digits. In a start last summer, Kopech touched 105 on the radar gun. Currently, Kopech is the #3 prospect in the White Sox farm system. Luis Alexander Basabe also looks to make a splash in Chicago in the near future. Basabe is listed as the #9 prospect in the White Sox system and scouts project that he will be big league ready by 2018.
On Wednesday afternoon, the White Sox continued to overhaul the big league team by trading away outfielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals. In return for the speedy, scrappy outfielder, the White Sox received Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Dane Dunning. Giolito is already listed as the #2 prospect in the White Sox organization behind Yoan Moncada. Reynaldo Lopez is also listed at #4 in the farm system. Both Giolito and Lopez pitched in the MLB for the Washington Nationals last season and are expected to be contributors at the big league level this season. Dane Dunning was drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft last year out of the University of Florida. Despite having just 8 career games in the minor leagues under his belt, Dunning has the stuff to be listed as the White Sox #10 prospect. By acquiring 3 more pitchers, the White Sox are building long-term and think they might have found the replacement for Chris Sale.
In under two days, the White Sox have completely changed their franchise. They have went from one of the weakest farm systems in all of baseball to a star studded group of youngsters. Of the top 10 White Sox prospects, 6 of them are brand new faces.
Rumors surrounding the White Sox continue to fly. Teams are reportedly interested in Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, and Jose Abreu as well. It will be interesting to see what moves the front office makes next. Will they keep going towards prospects and the future or will they go for a blockbuster trade to add experience and leadership at the big league level?
