Three players the White Sox need to trade before the deadline

The Chicago White Sox may be in the AL Central basement, but the future appears bright at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Prospects such as infielder Chase Meidroth, catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel and pitcher Shane Smith have made an impact on the White Sox this season. Other top prospects, such as pitcher Noah Schultz, are on the way. While there may be growing pains, the Chicago appears to be on the right track.

That future is still a year or two away, though. The White Sox will be sellers again at the trade deadline as they entered Thursday with a 23-50 record. Let's take a look at three players that should be on the trade block in the coming weeks.

Outfielder Luis Robert

Trade rumors have been swirling around Robert for some time. He acknowledged those rumors earlier in the year, noting how his struggles have torpedoed his trade value. He had produced a disappointing .190/.275/.305 batting line in his 258 plate appearances entering Thursday, hitting six homers and eight doubles. Robert is making the most of his chances when he does get on base, logging 21 steals in 26 attempts.

At 27, Robert is young enough to potentially rebound with a change of scenery. His blend of power and speed can make an impact on any lineup. Robert is also hypothetically under team control for two more years as he has a pair of $20M team options. Although he may not fetch much of a return, Robert is the type of player teams may be willing to gamble on.

Outfielder Mike Tauchman

A solid fourth outfielder best known for his defense, Tauchman is in the midst of a career season for the White Sox. He has produced a .264/.370/.484 batting line in 108 plate appearances, hitting four homers and six doubles. As Tauchman missed time earlier in the season due to a hamstring injury, his performance could have been even better.

Although Tauchman likely would not start on a contending team, he is a perfect bench option due to his excellent defense and ability to play all three outfield positions. Tauchman also has two more years of team control, making him an affordable option going forward. 

Pitcher Adrian Houser

The White Sox added Houser as rotation depth after he was released from his minor league contract with the Rangers. He has been a revelation in Chicago, posting a 2.15 ERA and a 1.193 WHiP over his 29.1 innings, striking out 22 batters with 10 walks. Despite appearing in just five games for the White Sox, he ranks sixth on the team in bWAR (0.7).

While Houser is unlikely to continue his current production, he has been a solid back-of-the-rotation arm at times during his career. If he continues to perform well for the White Sox, he could fetch a better return than anyone would have anticipated when he signed in the middle of May.