In a surprise move on Thursday morning, news broke that the White Sox were going to designate top-30 prospect Jose Rodriguez for assignment. This was later confirmed by the White Sox when it was announced that this would be the corresponding move to the signing of Mike Clevinger.
Rodriguez made his MLB debut last year, although he never recorded an official at-bat. He was, however, used as a pinch runner and a defensive replacement, scoring one run during his brief stint on the roster. He spent the rest of the 2023 season split between Double-A and Triple-A, where he had a total slash line of .262/.292/.437 and a wRC+ of 87. He looked like a prospect who could be in the Sox’s future plans earlier on in his career, as in 2021 he reached Double-A at just 20 years old. He started off the 2022 season slow but went on a tear late in the year before a broken hamate bone ended his season short.
This move is a bit of a surprising one, as there is still plenty of potential with the 22-year-old middle infielder. While the bat has been inconsistent lately, Rodriguez offers defensive versatility with the ability to play both second base and shortstop. Along with that, he has always been a threat on the basepaths, swiping over 100 bases between the 2021-2023 seasons. With his recent experience in Triple-A and having already made his MLB debut, it isn’t out of the question for another MLB club to be willing to claim him and add him to their 40-man roster.
As more information becomes available, we will update you with the latest news.
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