White Sox Add Former First Round Pick To Compete For Right Field Job
The Chicago White Sox has added another buy-low option in right field.
First it was Nomar Mazara. White Sox fans were promised “untapped potential”. What they got instead was a .228 average and only one home run. The next year they signed an aging, injury-prone Adam Eaton to fill the void in right field. He was DFA’d before the end of July.
Now Rick Hahn can Adam Haseley to the list of right-field acquisitions. Hahn traded minor league pitcher McKinley Moore to the Phillies in exchange for Haseley. It was a small price to play but can Hasely buck the trend of outfield flops? The answer is once again probably not.
Unlike Eaton and Mazara, Haseley is not guaranteed a roster spot. He will have to battle Adam Engel, Andrew Vaughn, and Micker Adolfo for the starting job in Chicago. With minor league options remaining there is a good chance he starts the season in Triple-A Charlotte.
Haseley has potential, especially as a defender. During his brief time in the major leagues, he averages 10 Defensive Runs Saved and has a 3.3 Ultimate Zone Rating while roaming the outfield.
He was the eighth overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft. He got his first taste of major league action in 2019 with the Phillies. His rookie year was encouraging. He had a respectable .720 OPS and hit .266 with five home runs in 67 games. In the abbreviated 2020 season, he raised his average to .278 in 92 at-bats.
However, he was primarily used only against right-handed pitchers.
The left-handed hitter owns a career .272/.331/.398 slash line against right-handed pitching.
The 2021 season is where things fell apart for Haseley. He narrowly beat out Roman Quinn, Scott Kingery, and Odubel Herrera to be the Phillies starting center fielder. He left the position in shambles.
Manager Joe Girardi subbed out Haseley in four of his first five starts. He had a subpar .429 OPS then left the team on April 14th for mental health reasons. When he was ready to return to baseball he was sent to the minor leagues and his performance dipped even further. He hit .233 with a .325 slugging percentage.
He has bust written all over him but a change of scenery could be just what he needs. Haseley is only 25 years old and has shown flashes of potential. The White Sox need left-handed bats but for a team looking to contend for a World Series, bringing in a more established player would have made a lot more sense.
Still, that hasn’t dampened Tony La Russa’s mood. He spoke to the media about the Hasely acquisition.
“He’s a d talent. Anxious to get him in here and see what he looks like,” the skipper said. “We trust the front office. They’ve earned the trust of fans and everybody like us that’s trying to win.”
It is clear that Haseley wasn’t going to be a difference-making talent in Philadelphia. However, the White Sox got tremendous value in the trade. They only had to give up a Single-A pitcher for a former first-round pick. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t go out and sign Michael Conforto, but Hasely is worth taking a flier on.