The White Sox parted ways with two notable names, as shortstop Lucius Fox and outfielder Yoelqui Cespedes have each been released within the last few days. Fox’s release was reported on his official MLB.com profile page, while James Fegan of the Sox Machine blog was first to note Cespedes’ release.
Fox inked a minor league deal with Chicago in February but didn’t receive any action during Spring Training, and so the 26-year-old will again hit the open market. Fox was a highly-regarded international prospect who signed for a whopping $6MM bonus from the Giants in 2015, though San Francisco dealt Fox (and Matt Duffy) to the Rays just over a year later in order to acquire Matt Moore at the trade deadline. The shortstop has since bounced around to four other organizations, counting his brief stint with the White Sox.
The Nationals claimed Fox off waivers from the Orioles in the 2021-22 offseason, and Fox’s only career Major League games to date came in the form of 10 games (and two hits in 28 plate appearances) with Washington in 2022. This cup of coffee in the Show at least made Fox the ninth big leaguer in history to hail from the Bahamas. Fox played in the Nats’ farm system in 2023 but didn’t hit much, continuing the theme of his pro career. Over 2476 career PA in the minors, Fox has a .243/.335/.333 slash line and 156 steals out of 202 chances.
Cespedes has something of a similar story, as he signed a $2.05MM deal with the White Sox out of Cuba in January 2021 (the opening of the 2020-21 international signing window was delayed by the pandemic). There was some extra hype attached given how older brother Yoenis was already a former All-Star, but the younger Cespedes hit .230/.319/.350 over 503 combined PA at the Double-A and Triple-A levels in 2023. Though the 26-year-old Cespedes hit pretty well in his previous two pro seasons, it appears that newly-hired Sox farm director Paul Janish is ready to move on following Cespedes’ down year.
Cool Name
I remember when Giants fans (of which I am one) thought Lucious was going to be a star. That faded quickly.
Just like Reckley which is a Fox vs #2 lol. No power, subpar D, AVG speed, all in all just overated international talents. Softball league might be best for them
When you’re finished, type in your name
Heading back to the Bat Cave to help Batman. Much more productive than baseball.
This is ultimately a good thing for Mr. Fox,- he’s got a bright future in applied sciences for vigilante crime fighting and chief executive responsibilities for a multi-national corporation ahead of him.
The Mets should pick up Cespedes and give him a year or two to try to get back to his past minor league seasons. Throw out last year. It’s a low risk, high upside situation.
Cespedes is 26 and hasn’t conquered minor league pitching. He’s too old to be a genuine prospect anymore.
FIX THE AUTO-PILOT, LUCIUS
White Sox sign players, give no playing time, the release them. Guess Lucious can go back to Batman account job.
Yup..he sat on the wooden bench collecting splinters the entire time, telling him to “sit this one out.” If they only let him take his bat out of the case and show them he’s the next Roy Hobbs….
Let me get this straight, you think that your client, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world, is secretly a vigilante, who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp with his bare hands, and your plan is to blackmail this person? Good luck with that.
Fox should comeback to the Giants for some depth in the minors
Yes, he did.
Oof. They made a big deal out of signing Cespedes. Sox fans couldn’t wait for him to dominate.
Southside. Have fun dont stop now boys, buckle up Nashville.hi j.r.
Gotta believe Cespedes has some personal issues where the team felt they were better off without him. Perhaps it also affects his on field performance. The cut and run seems out of place if this was just an issue of needing more seasoning.
You’ve got to wonder why the Sox didn’t give him a chance. It looks like he can’t hit, but that seems to be a team requirement for right field candidates. Could he be worse than Dominic Fletcher, Zach Le? Oscar Colás, and so on?
Because he’s complete doodoo
A rich dodoo.
Ahhh yes I remember lucius FOX. He was helping both Ozzie Guillen and Bruce Wayne with spelunking cave gear. Didn’t u get the memo??
Lucius Fox, Undercover Brother.
Paul janish couldn’t hit either though lol I don’t think it’s strictly a hitting/playing issue
Maybe the White Sox will put a claim on Taylor Trammel.