The White Sox are reportedly interested in dealing a dominant young player. garrett crochet This summer has made the left-handed outfielder one of the most interesting players to watch in the days leading up to the July 30 trade deadline, and Bob Nightingale of USA Today Nightingale noted this morning that Chicago still intends to sell the lefty this summer even as rival general managers express uncertainty about whether a deal will happen. Nightingale goes on to note that while the Padres made a “recent” offer to the South Siders for Crochet, White Sox officials “quickly rejected” the proposal.
This isn’t the first report that the White Sox have been rejecting offers from rival teams, with reports earlier this month suggesting the Dodgers also made an offer that was ultimately rejected. However, it’s worth noting that San Diego’s offer to the lefty was rejected due to the fact that the Padres were the “most aggressive” team in their pursuit of the lefty until last month. It’s certainly possible that other clubs have become more aggressive in their pursuit of Crochet since then, but the news is still the latest indication that the youngster’s price tag could be high.
The hefty asking price is somewhat understandable given Crochet’s unique combination of youth, dominance, and team control. The 25-year-old has posted a 3.02 strikeout rate in 107 1/3 innings of work this year with stronger marginal numbers, leading the majors with 150 strikeouts. That’s good for a 35.2% strikeout rate, and Crochet complements that heavy dose of strikeouts with a microscopic 5.4% walk rate and a solid 45.7% ground ball rate. It’s extremely difficult to find a starting pitcher with that kind of elite talent anyway, let alone at an age where some pitchers have yet to prove themselves in the majors and with team control that will continue through the end of the 2026 season.
While there were questions about whether or not Crochet would be able to stay in the starting lineup after already doubling his innings total as a pro in the first half, the lefty would certainly be a valuable asset even in a relief bullpen role for the second half of this year before returning to the starting lineup in 2025. Given that, it’s no surprise that Crochet has received widespread interest from clubs around the league. That should allow the White Sox to set their asking price for his services very high, especially considering the fact that they may try to deal him again this winter if talks end up falling apart.
One clue as to where the Sox might set the bar regarding Crochet is that Nightingale notes that Chicago is “insisting” on the possibility of a Yankees center fielder. Spencer Jones As part of a return to the lefty’s services in negotiations with New York. Jones, the Yankees’ first-round pick in the 2022 draft, has been a much-discussed prospect this winter as the club has resisted requests to include him in trades with various trade partners throughout the winter. He entered the season as a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport, with some services even ranking him in the top 30 or higher. A slow start to the season in Double-A saw most outlets settle on Jones in the top 75 range earlier this year, though he has been hot in recent weeks and may have seen his prospect stock start to rise a bit. However, reports last week indicated that the Yankees remain unwilling to part ways with Jones, suggesting that a deal between New York and Chicago is unlikely unless one side or the other folds regarding the massive outfield prospect.
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