1:35PM: The White Sox have officially announced Cuthbert’s signing. It is a minor league deal, with an invitation to the team’s Major League Spring Training camp.
1:07PM: The White Sox have reached an agreement with free agent infielder Cheslor Cuthbert, according to reporter Robert Murray (Twitter link). Cuthbert hit the open market in early December after the Royals chose not to tender him a contract.
Cuthbert was projected to earn $1.8MM in his second year of arbitration eligibility, though Kansas City decided to move on in the wake of a season that saw Cuthbert hit .246/.294/.379 with nine homers over 330 PA. It was a performance almost exactly on par with the .250/.300/.378 slash line Cuthbert has posted over 1160 career plate appearances, all with the Royals from 2015-19.
Most of Cuthbert’s time in K.C. was spent as a third baseman, and he stepped into a virtual everyday role in 2016 when Mike Moustakas spent much of the season on the injured list. Despite posting some solid numbers that year, Cuthbert’s production badly tailed off in the subsequent three seasons and he became little more than a bench piece.
Aside from his work at the hot corner, Cuthbert also has played a lot of first base and a handful of games at second over his career. Second base could potentially be Cuthbert’s best path to playing time in Chicago, as while star rookie Nick Madrigal is expected to make his MLB debut at some point in 2020, the White Sox will need some kind of veteran stopgap until Madrigal is ready. Yolmer Sanchez was non-tendered, leaving rookie Danny Mendick as the current top choice for the Opening Day lineup. It seems likely that Cuthbert could be one of many veteran infielders brought into Chicago’s Spring Training camp to compete for the second base job, and Cuthbert’s versatility could give him a path to staying on the roster as a utility infielder once Madrigal is called up.
Blockbuster!!
One of my favorite names!
His great great grandfather fought in the Civil War and later played pro ball and was credited with being the first player to steal a base.
Pittsburg should have taken a flyer on Cheslor Cuthbert. Great name for a Pirate!
Who is working on the Price/Betts trade?!
@ChiSox_Fan
Don’t hold your breath on that one. Don’t see that one happening.
Good question. The Dodgers are reportedly looking at Mookie Betts and Francisco Lindor. They could easily land either or both and not blink an eye over paying either or sacrificing the necessary cheap controllable talent that the Red Sox and Indians are looking for in return.
LA is looking to do something big this offseason. They need to focus on having the best postseason roster and not just the best regular season one. They have their work cut out for them after what the Yankees added to their already formidable group of players this offseason.
The Price/Betts reports work for this White Sox fan as long as it doesn’t involve any of their core young players or prospects going back to Boston. I wouldn’t mind that combo coming with a side of J.D. Martinez either if the Red Sox truly want to shed some serious salary this offseason. Boston can have their pick of anybody not named Giolito, Kopech, Cease, Bummer, Grandal, Abreu, Vaughn, Madrigal, Anderson, Moncada, Jimenez and Robert.
There’s a terribly bad pun in here somewhere. I just can’t seem to find it right now….
I’d rather have Elisha
Nice. Who wouldn’t?
Apparently no else watched Girl Next Door.
Why?
Somebody has to play 2b until May 1. After that he’s gone.
who?
Original comment, sparky.
Thanks, man!
The predicatble “who?” comment is a classic self identifier by a complete moron. it translates to “hey world, i am an idiot!”
Usually best to spell check before calling someone an idiot…
Spell check or not, youre still an idiot.
Haha, sure thing, bud.
This is clepto’s signature post. He’s a consummate troll. Comes on each day and attacks a few to several people. I’ve already seen a couple attacks today. Pretty much never has a substantive baseball comment to make. Just bullying. I won’t get into what kind of childhood produces an online bully (troll) but I will say it takes a lot of therapy to turn one into a, well, not a decent human being actually, but a tolerable one, one who is not downright anti-social on a continual basis. This comment board as well as any others he frequents (and his real world haunts) will be better off the sooner he gets started. He no doubt will be along in a bit to prove my point.
Seems that way.
Watch this!
Takes one to know one clepto
Hahaha
Plan the parade now baby
There going to turn him into a 20 game winner that eats up 200 innings.
That would be amazing for an infielder
Idiot
He’s a good ball player I liked him with the Royals
Only hits lefties. Check.
Can’t play D. Check.
Sox being Sox.
Yeah, these minor league signings are going to kill them.
Sign better players. He’s not even as good as Goins, who they released.
We see how the minor league bargain aisle worked last year. And the lack of depth did hurt them.
Spend 4 million of the money you still haven’t spent for someone who can actually play, or has upside. Neither he nor Detwiler have any upside.
Yah, that lack of depth really crushed them last year. Or maybe it was the fact they cared more about player development and service time than actually calling up the best options available…
Actually, it did.
If Hahn had signed a decent RF, a decent DH, and added a guy like Gio Gonzalez and wade Miley last year, the team would have likely won 80 games.
The time for rebuilding is over. Spend money on better players.
So, if Palka and Alonso had performed at the same level that they did the previous season and Rodon hadn’t gone down with injury, the White Sox would have won 8 more games. What does that have to do with spending money on better players. All teams sign marginal players to minor league contracts to fill out AAA rosters and provide depth for the parent club. This guy is as good (or as bad) as half-a-dozen others.
Cuthbert’s a AAAA guy who should go over to the KBO or NPB
Cheslor is the kind of guy you root for, but dont expect the kind of defensive versatility the article is suggesting. He could barely play 3b let alone 2b, but is serviceable at 1b
waste
ironically, so was your comment.
Dumpster diving Rick!
Cheslor is from Corn Island, Nicaragua… I can only imagine the life story to get to where he is today. Baseball is an incredible game. Assuming he grew up playing at Karen Tucker Baseball Stadium.
Check it out:
google.com/maps/place/Karen+Tucker+Baseball+Stadiu…
Corn Island looks like it’s worth a visit!
This is a good pickup – cuthbert has shown he is a very solid player when he plays regularly but struggles as a role player. Minor league deal with lower major league guarantee is a good buy low shot.
Nicky Delmonico, Ross Detwiler, Cheslor Cuthbert, Gio Gonzalez…
What’s next ? Resigning Mark Buehrle.
15 years of “wait til you see us next year”. More and more sounding like the Cubs.
Come On!
Need players to play in B games and take your mind off Burger being a bust due to injuries…
Nice to have a spare cork on hand in case the bottle tips over.
Plan the parade
WTF. Why??? You already have backup infielders. Just don’t get the logic here at all. As season ticket holder, this is getting more ridiculous by the minute. I understand the gonzalez move, but this makes no sense.
No logic to it, Darlene. Ryu should be priority #1. No other top of the rotation SP’s left in FA Rick. How about talking to the Royals about Mondesi or Merrifield ? Cuthbert
I’d still like the Sox to deal Colome, Herrera, McCann to free up $25m maybe get a legit prospect back. Those 3 aren’t in the big plan anyway. And if need be take on a bad contract and get another prospect.
How’s about T.A & Rodon for Mondesi & Soler ?
How about no?
Why would either team make that trade with a division rival?
It’s not so much a question of division rivals. It’s more a question of why would a rebuilding Royals make this trade and that it doesn’t do anything to improve the White Sox chances of becoming a more solid contender going forward.
I’m down with a Rodon trade. I can see sending him and Collins to some less fortunate team that needs an entire battery (besides us). I still don’t think T.A. has the staying power at SS and may eventually be evaluated in the outfield…once the afterglow of winning a batting title passes, he’s trade bait..I rather like the Gio acquisition as long as he’s not the only bullet in the clip. Still like Keuchel at 3/45 front-loaded with an option. That’s all I got…I’ll show myself out.
I can play second