According to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, the White Sox have agreed to terms with infielder Bobby Dalbec on a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training. If Dalbec makes the roster, he will earn $1.25M according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.
Dalbec, 29, has spent his entire professional career with the Boston Red Sox. A former fourth-round draft pick in 2016, Dalbec had an incredibly strong showing in his brief 2020 debut, slashing .263/.359/.600 across 92 plate appearances. However, the writing was clearly on the wall for a decline, as he struck out 42% of the time in that span. He played a full season with the Red Sox again in 2021, slashing a much more mediocre .240/.298/.494, good for a 106 wRC+.
From there he has struggled in limited time in the big leagues, receiving just 93 plate appearances last season and slashing .133/.217/.193. He’s always been able to walk at a decent rate – 7.6% for his career – but his 36.8% strikeout rate and generally lacking bat-to-ball skills have always prevented his breakout. He slashed .252.336/.479 with the Red Sox in AAA last season – albeit with a 36.1% strikeout rate.
Given how many infielders the White Sox have on their roster – and given that Dalbec hasn’t been a strong defender historically – it’s not likely that Dalbec will crack the Opening Day roster. At best, he could be a backup to returning first baseman Andrew Vaughn and can play additional positions as needed. However, it will be up to Ryan Fuller and the rest of the White Sox staff to figure out if they’ll be able to help Dalbec cut down on his strikeout rate – if he can, he might be able to make a strong impact in the big leagues.
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