Chicago White Sox 2022: Scouting, Projected Lineup, Season Prediction

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17 March 2022

Chicago White Sox 2022: Scouting, Projected Lineup, Season Prediction

Contention windows typically last four to six seasons. Any celebration of the first back-to-back playoff appearances in White Sox history was tempered by consecutive first-round exits.

The Sox move into Year 3 of their window with a strong everyday lineup, formidable starting pitching and the best closer in the American League. But they must fill holes in right field and the back of the rotation and bullpen to close the gap with the AL's best.

As he begins his second season, manager Tony La Russa pledges to improve the team's defense and competitive edge down the stretch.

Opposing Scouts Size Up the White Sox

"They're the team to beat, no question about it; it's just a matter of how many games ahead they're going to be. They're stacked up and down the order in a way no other team in this division can even approach. José Abreu is a younger Nellie Cruz; you feel like he just rolls out of bed and hits 30 bombs and drives in 100. Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert will be scary with full, healthy seasons, Tim Anderson and Yoán Moncada just keep getting better, and you can't keep Yasmani Grandal off the bases. They're loaded in pitching, too — you know you can count on guys like Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito, and there were nights when Dylan Cease looked unhittable. Dallas Keuchel got into a rut in the second half; he's bounced back from tough years before, and I wouldn't count him out. When you add in the wild card of what Michael Kopech could bring to the rotation, and bring in a stud like Kendall Graveman as another nasty setup guy before Liam Hendriks, it's no stretch to think this team could win 100 games."

Slugging Seby Seby Zavala was a glove-first backup catcher throughout his minor league development. An injury to Yasmani Grandal pushed Zavala into the lineup in early July. On July 31, in his 18th career game, Zavala delivered his first big-league home run, a solo shot off Cleveland's Triston McKenzie. Later in that same game, Zavala also delivered a grand slam off McKenzie and a solo homer off Bryan Shaw. That made Zavala the first player in MLB history to hit three homers in the game in which he hit his first career home run.

Cool Katz When Don Cooper's 19-season run as the Sox pitching coach ended after the 2020 season, people wondered how the staff would fare under Ethan Katz. Quite well. Katz helped Carlos Rodón become one of the top lefties in the AL. Dylan Cease finished third in the AL in strikeouts with 226. The Sox staff led the AL in strikeouts and was second to Tampa in earned run average as Rodon, Lance Lynn and Liam Hendriks made the AL All-Star team. The pitchers praised his new-era approach.

Don't knock García Nobody was surprised when the Sox signed Leury García to a three-year contract extension. He will extend his status as the longest-tenured Sox player, a run that began Aug. 23, 2013. García appeared in 126 games at six positions — all three outfield spots, third base, second base and shortstop. Sox manager Tony La Russa bristled when a reporter referred to García as a utility player. "He's a regular player who plays all around," La Russa said.

Draft dandies Like most teams, the White Sox have whiffed in the MLB Free Agent Draft. But seven former No. 1 picks contributed to the 2021 Central Division champs: Tim Anderson (2013), Rodón (2014), Zack Collins (2016), Jake Burger (2017), Nick Madrigal (2018), Andrew Vaughn (2019) and Garret Crochet (2020). The team's only miss during that stretch was Carson Fulmer (2015).

Call from the Hall Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda said that Cuban-born Minnie Miñoso was to Latin players what Jackie Robinson was to Black players — a highly respected trailblazer. The Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee recognized the significance of Miñoso's long career by voting him into the class that will be inducted in 2022. Miñoso, also known as Mr. White Sox, played across 20 seasons, batting .299 and delivering 2,110 hits and 1,093 runs batted in.