The White Sox have agreed to a minor league contract with free-agent infielder Hanser Alberto, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The CAA client will be in Major League camp as a non-roster player this spring.
Alberto, 30, spent the 2022 season with the Dodgers and batted .244/.256/.365 with a pair of homers, nine doubles and a pair of triples in 159 trips to the plate. The Dodgers declined a $2MM club option on the well-traveled veteran, instead choosing a $250K buyout and sending Alberto back to the free-agent market.
The 2022 season was the least productive of Alberto’s career, but he’s not far removed from a more respectable .292/.315/.411 showing in 1036 plate appearances split between the Orioles and Royals from 2019-21. Thanks to plus bat-to-ball skills (career 12.2% strikeout rate) but also one of the freest-swinging approaches (career 2.3% walk rate) of any hitter in baseball, Alberto can regularly be counted on for respectable batting averages with middling OBP marks. He’s lacking in terms of extra-base pop, which has also contributed to negating some of the value derived from his penchant for putting the ball in play.
Still, as far as bench infielders go, a career .272/.294/.380 is decent — and it should be pointed out that Alberto carries a much stronger .323/.341/.449 slash in his career against left-handed pitching. He’s able to play second base, shortstop and third base, and Defensive Runs Saved pegs him as above-average at all three spots. (Statcast’s Outs Above Average likes his left-side defense but has panned his work at second base.)
The White Sox are still in search of a clear everyday second baseman, with current in-house options including Leury Garcia, Romy Gonzalez and Lenyn Sosa. Alberto will add some depth and could win a spot on the bench to help out against left-handed pitching. It’s unlikely he’d slide into a strict platoon with the switch-hitting Garcia, though, as Garcia’s career numbers are better against left-handed pitching than against right-handed pitching himself. Both Gonzalez and Sosa, meanwhile, are right-handed hitters as well. That arguably creates some redundancy, but a quality, versatile defender who can put the ball in play isn’t a bad depth option to stash on the bench or in the upper minors.
Potential here folks. When this guy plays a full season, he’s a contributor, the less he plays, his numbers go south. A good signing
Better version of Leury?
This definitely could be the missing piece that makes them favorites.
What’s wrong with signing Jose Iglesias? He’s not expensive and is better than any of their other options.
Not better than some of the trade options, though. You have Lowe, Kim, Biggio, Espinal, Torres, and possibly Wendle. None are being actively shopped, but I doubt any are untouchable. Sox still have enough in the farm (among guys not named Colas or Montgomery) to pull off a trade for any of these, as well as some depth left in their pen, Sheets, and Burger. It shouldn’t kill them to acquire any of these options.
Sheets and Burger aren’t enticing trade chips. Both are DHs and average at that. I have no idea what depth the Sox have in their bullpen to deal. And in order to get Kim (5.1 war) and Torres (4.1). You’d probably have to start with Montgomery. Even then other teams will come over the top of the Sox because other than a couple guys you mentioned, the Sox don’t have guys that create a lot of interest. What the Sox offer has to be better than what they have and what other teams offer
Espinal is Toronto’s starter at 2nd. Possibly Biggio.
Hanser was always a great clubhouse piece. Some nice spot moments in LA.
Pinch hitter specialist with emphasis on the word “hitter”. Rarely let’s the catcher catch the ball and rarely misses the ball when he swings at it.
Just depth piece with some upside if he regains some of his 2019-2021 hitting.
Adds depth to bullpen too hahaha
high quality minor league signing.
Also a crafty hurler. 4.09 E.RA and 1.18 WHIP, in 10 appearances. Albeit against the D-backs when spotted a ten run lead
A poor poor man’s Ohtani
Perhaps they’re gearing up for a trade. It allows them flexibility to throw in one or more of Burger, Gonzalez, Sosa in some sort of package.
Depth player, but as we know ‘depth’ players tend to wind up playing a LOT for the White Sox (unfortunately)
I’ve played probably 5 different RttS seasons in The Show, and in literally every single one, Hanser Alberto was on the White Sox. That game is prophetic.
I can’t say I understand this signing at all. We have Leury Garcia, and we definitely don’t need more right handed bats. This isn’t somebody who’s going to be cool chilling out in Charlotte all season. I guess if there’s no risk, who cares, but… we don’t in the slightest need more random RHB infielders who can’t really start.
Sigh.
Low risk, chance for a decent reward. I’m not excited about the news, but I really don’t see the problem here. And I’d rather have Alberto than Garcia now.
Yea the problem with this entire statement is “We have Leury Garcia.” They are keeping him around just for the sake of keeping him around at this point.
Be still my beating heart.
I liked this guy on the Royals, liked him on the Dodgers. Good pickup. Let’s go.
Doesn’t walk, so he should fit right in with the Sox. And I mean that almost literally – he’s walked 32 times in 1,387 PA’s over 7 seasons. That aside, nothing wrong with the signing. I would hope he’s not going to be the starting 2nd baseman however.
When you don’t take signing a second baseman seriously for over 8 years, this crap will keep happening. And somehow, they still have the worst set of 2B in the minors. Mind blowingly stupid front office.