The White Sox have placed left-hander Carlos Rodon on the 10-day injured list due to left shoulder soreness, per a team announcement. In his place, they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Brady Lail from their alternate training site. Outfield prospect Luis Alexander Basabe was designated for assignment to open space on the 40-man roster for Lail. In other Sox news, MLBTR has learned that they’ll add right-handed pitching prospect Andrew Dalquist, their 2019 third-round pick, to the 60-man player pool.
Rodon exited last night’s start early after displaying a worrying drop in velocity. The former No. 3 overall pick came out firing with fastballs in the 91-93 mph range in the first inning but topped out at just under 86 mph in the second inning. For a pitcher who has averaged better than 93 mph in his career with the heater, that type of drop is alarming — particularly given that he’s only just returning from 2019 Tommy John surgery. The Sox haven’t provided a more in-depth diagnosis or timeline for his recovery, though they’ll presumably provide more info the next time GM Rick Hahn or manager Rick Renteria meets with reporters.
As for Basabe, the 23-year-old was at one point a well-regarded outfield prospect. He joined the White Sox organization in the Chris Sale blockbuster, although he was a clear third piece behind headliners Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech. (Righty Victor Diaz was also sent to Chicago in that swap.) Basabe had a miserable first year with the White Sox before rebounding to hit .258/.354/.445 with 15 homers, 21 doubles, eight triples and 16 steals between Class-A Advanced and Double-A in 2018.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go well for Basabe in a second stint in the Double-A Southern League this past season. In 291 plate appearances, he slashed just .246/.324/.336 with a glaring 29.2 percent strikeout rate. The Southern League is a pitcher-friendly setting, but Basabe’s overall output was nevertheless below the league average. His strikeout totals and continued middling success rate on stolen bases — 60.4 percent over the past two seasons — surely worked against him as well.
Basabe can still be optioned for the remainder of the 2020 season, but he’ll be out of minor league options in 2021. Given his pedigree and the bit of flexibility he still carries as an optionable player in 2020, another team could have interest in taking a flier on him. However, he’s looked mostly overmatched at the Double-A level, so there’s a chance the Sox could succeed in passing him through waivers and keep him in the organization without requiring a 40-man spot.
As for Dalquist, he’s only pitched three innings with the White Sox’ Rookie-level affiliate, so he won’t be viewed as a 2020 option. Still, there’s plenty of value in allowing the 19-year-old to work with the team’s staff and other more experienced players at the satellite site. He ranks seventh among ChiSox farmhands at Baseball America and 12th at both MLB.com and FanGraphs, so it’s not a surprise that the front office wants to continue to get him some valuable developmental reps in the only setting that’s really available to them this season.
Too bad about Basabe. I thought he had potential. Good thing Moncada and Kopech (maybe?) have worked out for the Sox so they didn’t give Sale away for nothing.
Basabe broke his hamate bone last year. He had to have surgery to have the hamate removed. This is fairly common but it affects different guys different ways. I wouldn’t give up on him just yet.
I have a feeling someone will get him. I can see a team like Baltimore getting him and him making an impact this season.
I was hoping Detroit but its the same idea.
Right
Is it really possible to make an impact with the Orioles?!?
I was throwing them out there honestly.
I’ll always remember overhearing him getting his butt chewed out down the steps of the dugout after a k in the GCL from a coach way back.
He and his brother were both top kids/prospects and extremely talented. I’d like to see them both make it some day. believe A Alexander here was supposed to be the tad better of the 2 as prospects.
Yanks, you think you thought he had potential!!!
You should have heard what Chisox fans and media reps were saying about Basabe even as late as a couple weeks ago. He was in their top 10 organizational rankings.
@Dogbone
Obviously he had potential if he was in the Sox top 10 prospects.
Good logic there.
They also traded Sale simply to save paying $14Mil a year and to tank to move up in draft. Moncada and Kopech were just an added bonus in a way, ha ha.
I had been hoping that at least one of Basabe, Adolfo, Gonzalez, Rutherford, or Steele was going to work out. Now Steele has been traded, Basabe DFA’d, and Rutherford didn’t even make the 60-man this year. Not looking so good..
Can’t complain too much with Robert and Jimenez in the OF.
Steele is going to work. In Texas that is.
Rutherford will work out
Blake Rutherford is part of the White Sox 60-man player pool. He is training at their alternate site in Schaumburg and remains on the team’s 40-man MLB reserve roster.
That don’t make him any good.
@Dogbone
Again, it amazes me that you can come on every Sox article and every post is a negative instigating post, and you can troll on here with impunity.
Again, I guess I can’t blame you since the moderators let it happen. I got blocked on here last Sept or Oct (and deservedly so) for far less than what you’re getting away with. You are why I’ll never pay the $29.99 yearly fee.
I stand corrected. I must have been thinking of the announcement of the first 45 or so players, which didn’t include Rutherford (or Adolfo or Gonzalez for that matter). Not sure why I only remembered Rutherford being left off. Probably projecting my disappointment in his development over the last few years.
At least Engel is looking decent as a fourth-outfielder and late-inning defensive replacement. Our cupboard for outfielders is incredibly bare, at the moment. I liked Steele Walker, too. It’s a shame we had to trade him. Would’ve much rather shipped off Rutherford.
why was Basabe so highly regarded anyway? speed? rest of his minors numbers are meh.
Tools mostly.
nbcsports.com/chicago/video/white-sox-top-milb-mom… Young, 5 tools guy. The minors are littered with them.
i hate this.
Somewhat surprised the White Sox would DFA Luis Alexander Basabe to make room for pitcher Brady Lail on their active and corresponding 40-man roster. Lail figures to be a place holder until the White Sox decide on who replaces Carlos Rodon in the rotation when his next start comes up. Even if Ross Detwiler assumes the slot Lail doesn’t seem to offer much help for the White Sox in their bullpen going forward.
There were some other options the White Sox could have chosen to keep Basabe on the 40-man roster. The simplest would have been to promote one of the young pitchers already on their list from among SP’s Dane Dunning and Bernardo Flores Jr. or RP’s Zack Burdi and Jose Ruiz. Basabe might have also provided an added trade chip to use in a potential deal for some starting pitching depth as the August 31st deadline approaches. He still might but chances are decent that Basabe will be claimed off waivers by another organization in the next few days.
@Aaron Sapoznik
Lail must’ve really impressed someone in Schaumburg. And Basabe obviously didn’t. Basabe must be horrible so far in Schaumburg to risk losing him. I would be stunned if Basabe isn’t claimed.
I could see being hesitant on Dunning and Burdi because two P’s with recent TJS went down in the first 2 weeks of the season. But I agree, they should’ve just brought one of the other guys up.
Luis Alexander Basabe was the White Sox #9 prospect in a good farm system. Basabe was good enough to be selected to the international team as the starting CF and leadoff man in the 2018 Future’s All-Star game (mlb.com/gameday/world-futures-vs-us-futures/2018/0…) that coincides with the MLB All-Star weekend. He hit just ahead of #2 hitter Fernando Tatis Jr, who was a top prospect for the Padres by then after the White Sox traded him for James Shields back in May of 2016. Eloy Jimenez represented the Cubs in the 2016 Futures All-Star before he was dealt to the White Sox. Jimenez and Yoan Moncada were White Sox prospects and teammates on the 2017 Future’s international team. Nick Madrigal was a member of the US team in last year’s contest.
Basabe has also been slowed by injuries since then including a broken hamate bone last year. He’s not alone. Jimenez and Luis Robert had their share of injuries in the minors while Micker Adolfo has had even worse luck. It’s too early to give up on Basabe unless there was some underlying issue with him that has not been reported yet.
@Aaron Sapoznik
I definitely wouldn’t have booted Basabe off the 40-man. The only logical reason I could come up with is he was horrible in Schaumburg. I would hope they’re not gambling that he will pass through waivers, I don’t see that happening. If the Tigers don’t claim him the O’s, Royals, or M’s will. I will be stunned if he makes it through waivers.
Once again, a pitcher from the scrap heap gets a shot before pitchers brought up through the organization.