Why the White Sox Should Take a Chance on Stone Garrett

If you’re looking for exciting news in the baseball world, the Chicago White Sox might not be your best bet. Recently, the team announced that they hired former Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin for a player development position, advising general manager Chris Getz. While Nevin's role will involve duties across all levels of the organization, the White Sox's roster remains largely unchanged and is likely the weakest in baseball.

The recent additions of Bryce Wilson and Cam Booser could provide a slight boost to the pitching staff, which shows some promise for a better future in 2025 and beyond. However, with Luis Robert Jr. potentially being traded before or during the season, the White Sox are relying on several first- and second-year players to contribute offensively. The additions of Mike Tauchman, Matt Thaiss, and Austin Slater make sense; while they may not be spectacular, they can be reliable players if utilized correctly.

Diamond in the Rough

The White Sox have some prospects and minor-league depth, but lack major-league talent. The team must focus on the future and aim to acquire players with upside and team control at a low acquisition cost. The year 2025 will be developmental for many existing prospects, and introducing any additional players who can get regular at-bats to unlock their potential is crucial. The White Sox are not trying to win or be competitive, so exploring as many options as possible would be wise.

On the other hand, the Washington Nationals are a team on the rise after five consecutive losing seasons since their World Series victory in 2019, where they upset the Houston Astros in seven games. The Nationals have a promising young core and hope for internal development to improve their standing in 2025. Additionally, they’ve added solid veteran bats in Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell. Bell, a switch-hitter, is best suited to DH, while Lowe is expected to handle primary duties at first base. Bell’s ability to switch-hit provides flexibility against left-handed pitchers.

Enter the White Sox

Stone Garrett is a depth, right-handed bat for the Nats, and will likely receive at-bats against left-handed hitters while also giving the Nationals' young corner outfielders some rest. This makes sense for the Nationals, but how does it relate to the White Sox? I believe Stone Garrett would be a good target for the White Sox to fill a similar role. Despite struggling with injuries throughout his career, Garrett, now 29, showed potential in his 89 games in 2023 when he posted a 113 WRC+ before suffering a significant injury. 

He has only one year of major league service time, meaning he would be under team control through 2029. As he recovers from his injury after playing only two games in 2024, a part-time role as a designated hitter or corner outfielder could help him ease back into regular playing time.

What's On Tap Next?

I prefer that the White Sox take a chance on a player like Garrett rather than giving at-bats to players with no long-term potential at any position. The 29-year-old's injury history makes his acquisition cost palatable. While Garrett might not be a long-term solution for the White Sox’s rebuilding process, acquiring him via trade would be prudent to assess whether his performance in 2023 was legitimate and can be sustained throughout a season.