The Astros have traded outfielder Corey Julks to the White Sox, per announcements from both clubs. The Astros, who designated Julks for assignment last week, will receive minor league right-hander Luis Rodriguez in return. Julks has been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. To open a 40-man spot for Julks, the Sox designated outfielder Rafael Ortega for assignment and recalled outfielder Dominic Fletcher to take Ortega’s spot on the active roster.
Julks, 28, was an eighth-round pick of the Astros back in 2017 and wasn’t really considered a very noteworthy prospect in the years following that selection. He put himself on the radar with a strong 2022 season, hitting 31 home runs and stealing 22 bases in 130 Triple-A games. In the hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League, his .270/.351/.503 batting line led to a 108 wRC+.
That got him to the big leagues in 2023 but he didn’t immediately hit the ground running in the majors. He stepped to the plate 323 times for the Astros last year and hit .245/.297/.352 for a wRC+ of 80, though he also stole 15 bases and got solid grades for his outfield defense.
He’s been back at Triple-A this year and has another five home runs and six more steals in 31 games. His 12.8% walk rate is a few points higher than the 9.5% rate he had in 2022. His overall production this year is considered to be around league average for the PCL, but it’s an intriguing combination of skills.
Despite the interesting stats, Julks is 28 years old now and was blocked by a crowded outfield mix in Houston, so they nudged him off their roster. The White Sox have far more of a need and more of an ability to take a chance on a player like Julks, given their status as a rebuilding club.
Giving playing time to a veteran can yield to a positive result, as the Sox just recently traded Robbie Grossman to the Rangers for Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa. A similar path with a player like Ortega would have been ideal but he hit .071/.176/.071 in his 17 plate appearances for the Sox in recent weeks and wasn’t trending towards any kind of Grossman-like return. The Sox decided it was a better use of a roster spot to grab Julks and see how things go with him, while giving Ortega’s spot on the active roster to Fletcher.
Julks still has two options, meaning he could potentially be sent to Triple-A for the rest of this year and one more. He also has less than a year of service time, meaning he can be cheaply retained for the foreseeable future.
For now, Fletcher will share the big league playing time with guys like Andrew Benintendi, Tommy Pham and Gavin Sheets. Pham is on a one-year deal and will be a trade candidate this summer. Sheets could perhaps be on the block as well since he’ll reach arbitration for the first time this winter and has been in good form this year. That could perhaps open some playing time for Julks later in the year, though the eventual return of Luis Robert Jr. from the injured list will also be a factor. Oscar Colás and Zach DeLoach are also on the 40-man but neither is performing especially well on optional assignment right now.
For the Astros, they have Kyle Tucker, Yordan Alvarez, Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers, Mauricio Dubon, Joey Loperfido and Trey Cabbage in their outfield mix, with prospect Pedro León banging on the door as well. Since pitching depth is a greater concern for them, they recently grabbed Alex Speas off waivers and let go of Julks.
By doing so, they were at least able to add a pitching prospect to their system. The 20-year-old Rodriguez tossed 33 innings over 15 appearances in the Dominican Summer League last year with a 3.55 earned run average, 32.6% strikeout rate and 4.3% walk rate. In January, he got a brief mention on the FanGraphs list of top White Sox prospect from Eric Longenhagen and Tess Taruskin. They noted that Rodriguez has a fastball in the 88-90 miles per hour range and a strong curveball.
The Sox will now have a week to trade Ortega or pass him through waivers. He was signed to a minor league deal this winter and added to the roster in late April. He has received sporadic playing time which hasn’t gone well for him, as mentioned. He has enough service time that he can reject an outright assignment and elect free agency. He had a strong season with the Cubs in 2021, hitting .291/.360/.463 while stealing 12 bases and spending a lot of time in center field. But he hit .241/.331/.358 the next year and got non-tendered, with only limited big league looks since then.
Worth a chance for the Astros, give up a player who had no future in the organization for a youngster that may pan out.
Is this a Julk?
What did your Julks ancestors do for a living?
Top Male Occupations In 1940
Laborer – 56%
Farmer – 23%
Chauffeur – 23%
Makes sense. Pitching is a form of labor. He’s definitely not farming or driving rich people around.
23% were chauffeurs? wow.
The top 3 occupations made up 102% of the male workers?
It’s complicated.
I believe a diagram is needed, with stick figures. You can leave out the analytics for just once.
@Ignorant Son-of-a-b
I just believe everything I read on the internets. I’ve been told it’s all true.
@BaseballBrian
According to Ancestory.com. My guess, it’s the new math they teach in school.
ancestry.ca/name-origin?surname=julks
@Old York As long as you’re on board the U.S.S. Mariner you’re okay in my book. (Even though you called them a “garbage” team not too long ago. But I’m a forgiving guy open to 2nd and 3rd chances. No insta-mute from SOB.)
@Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Just so you have proof, at the start of the season, I made the prediction that the M’s would be in the WS this year.
mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/the-opener-opening-day-…
I know, I’m proud of ya. I think they will turn it up another gear here soon too and boost themselves up with the elite teams. I have trade targets for Jerry to think about though: Brent Rooker, Taylor Ward, Nolan Arenado, Ryan McMahon, and/or Tyler O’Neill. (Long shot request Bo Bichette.) Any two of those guys.
@Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Honestly, I think the Jays need to blow-up that roster and start fresh again. They have some pieces that they could trade at the deadline but I doubt they do it. Bo would make sense in Seattle.
Gonna go out on a limb and predict one thing M’s won’t need at the deadline is starting pitching.
@Ignorant Son-of-a-b
They should ask the Jays about Yimi García. Guy’s been crazy good this year out of the pen.
Life was so simpler in the 1940s. There were only 3 jobs and all the asbestos/lead you could eat.
The extra 2% were ladies who identified as men.
And the cruelty is the point. You punch down very well.
I understand that Julks has options, but is 17 ABs really all the opportunity that will be provided as the White Sox look for answers?
I’m not so sure that Getz should be counting on flipping these guys at the deadline. They are backups on one of the worst 3 teams in MLB.
Did CWS really believe Ortega was going to become a trade candidate? Ortega and Abraham Almonte are the always available veteran journeyman who are the embodiment of AAAA players in their mid 30s. Even if he’d batted .300+ in those 17 ABs I’d seriously doubt any team would send anything other than cash to Getz for his services.
17 ABs to determine what exactly? I mean, Ortega’s 33, not great defensively, and the Sox suck. Julks is 5 years younger, faster, looks to be a better defender, and it gives Fletcher more chances in the short term. So – while this doesn’t really excite me, it seems like a smart upgrade for the team (in the current position).
Ortega was mostly up as a defensive replacement and pinch runner. I don’t think he was ever considered more than a short term depth piece. At this point of his career you don’t always get extended opportunities.
This must be some kind of Julk, right?
We should ban name jokes. not funny ever
Except this time, you mean.
Obviously.
How could we expect more from a Yankees fan?
Thomas: I don’t think LiberalSteve is a Yankees fan, but maybe he is…
Confucius said: “Low set bar means easy crossing”…. And if he didn’t say it, he should have.
I like when Confuscius said that one time “He who stands on toilet is high on pot.” Genius line. Remember when he said that ? That was awesome.
I was there. It was a real knee-slapper.
It’s Just a Julk…
Lighten up we’re just Julking around…
Want another Julk?
Happy birthday, Rafael Ortega!
Julks was a handy player for the Astros last year – some positional versatility and decent speed. He’s a younger Pillar that can play 2nd in a pinch. Now that Vaughn seems to be getting his swing together, I’d say Sheets could be on the hot/trade seat…
Dang! Let go on his birthday!
Julks becomes the latest entry into the Sox outfield sweepstakes. My guess is that he won’t last long. You don’t get to be 28 in the minors if you’ve got major league talent. But what is it the Sox are really looking for? They’ve tried numerous aging players and youngsters who looked to be overmatched. The only one who’s worked out so far is Pham, and if he continues to perform he’ll be swapped for the ubiquitous “prospects” at the trade deadline. What’s really dispiriting about all of this is that the Sox don’t seem to have any outfielders in the minors who are ready to step up. This is especially troubling because the team has had a huge hole in right field for as long as I can remember and it seems no closer to filling it than they were years ago.
They are at least trying to get answers at RF not named Tommy Pham. I would like them to focus on getting more infielders(primarily 2B or corner infielders/outfielders). The minor league deals are for depth. They have “ok” options when it comes to depth, but it’s better than last year.
I think this is cannon fodder for after the trade deadline. Someone has to play. If he works out, great; if he doesn’t, the cost was low. To me, this is just another signal that Sheets, Pham, and Robert will all be actively shopped.
I think you have the read on this. I doubt Julks is a guy the Sox feel will be their starting RF for the next 5 years.
I also assume they wanted to send Ortega back to Charlotte, but he’s out of options and likely would have refused the assignment. The Sox likely saw the opportunity to grab an adequate AAA replacement.
A related note, I didn’t realize just how bad Benintendi has been. .230 OBP, & his 45 wRC+ is the 2nd worst in baseball. -5 DRS and -3 OAA, so much for “former gold glove”. If Schriffen tells me one more time that he’s starting to look really comfortable at the plate, I’m going to eat my shoe.
On one of the Sox fan blogs, a favorite contest is “Let’s throw tomatos at Andrew Benintendi”, with graphic affirmation.
Do they have something similar for Schriffen?
In fairness, AB’s BABIP is almost 90 points below his career average, so part of it appears to be bad luck. Even accounting for that, though, he’s still not even close to being a good player.
His .229 BABIP is an indicator for existing year. His current BABIP is related to his .200 BA this year. It has nothing to do with his .300 BA from ’22.
Also his 3.8% walk rate is just as horrible.
Cart before the horse on that logic. BABIP leads to BA, not the other way around. And as I said, even if he weren’t that far below, he’s still not good. Maybe the walk rate problem means more chasing, which means getting to more balls he can’t drive. Haven’t checked the numbers on this theory, but it makes some sense.
I don’t think Sheets or Robert is going be traded. If Eloy goes then Sheets is the starting DH. Pham is 1000% gone after the deadline.
If Robert comes back strong from injury, I think he’s gone, too. Other teams know the Sox conditioning staff is garbage, so I don’t know how injury-prone he’s really viewed as. When he’s up, he’s consistently at around 5WAR/162. If a team thinks they can keep him healthy, he’ll still bring a haul. It might be that the Sox ship him in the off-season, too.
Eloy has to start producing to draw interest, but I think the Sox would be selling high on Sheets.
He’s in year 5 of his 6 year deal but also includes 2 club options which is why I’m not against holding him.
A very physically fit athlete. Built strong at 5’11” 220 lbs and can run the bases. Older sox fans remember Dan Pasqua. That’s who i’m seeing here. . I see good things in Chicago for Mr Julks.
Because so many other athletes are not physically fit, right?
Having a build like that only guarantees that you can get a latte’ for 7 bucks at Starbucks, like anyone else.
Thank you Chicago. Now would anyone like to take Myers ?
He’s a solid 4th OF, Astros suck because they’ve given 20 starts to guys with 7+ ERAs
Meyers was a dud long before this season’s pitching injuries. 6th in the OF list at best.
Good point. Wil Myers is a free agent, and fits the Pale Hosers profile well.
It’s not the worst move. Ortega is a filler for when a team does not have anyone else. While 17 at bats aren’t enough to judge Ortega the opportunity to get a player that might have potential to help the team for awhile wins out. I will mention the other requirement is a minimum salary player that can be optioned when needed was filled by this move.
“I will mention the other requirement is a minimum salary player that can be optioned when needed was filled by this move.”
Yep.
He looks like he’s ripping a weird fart, which is kind of a perfect look for being traded to the Pale Hose.
Those cheap thin unis may catch on fire from such an outburst.
I hope the days Ortega spent on the CWS qualified him for another pension for years of service……just bring up Colas and let him play until you have to send him back to Cuba,
Julks can be the sox next Victor Reyes or Clint Frazier. Big shoes to fill.
When and where does Colas become the superstar so many Sox fans said he was destined to be on opening day 2023? Too many at that late date were still buying the snake oil in the pretty bottles Dr. Hahn was selling..