Following the trade of Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets, the White Sox are looking elsewhere for outfield help.
One potential option to fill the void is first baseman/corner outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr., who has signed a minor league deal with an invite to major league camp. The agreement was first reported on Thursday by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Wade Jr., 32, has seven years of major league experience under his belt. A ninth-round pick out of the University of Maryland, he debuted with the Twins in 2019 but established himself with the Giants. Often serving in a platoon role against right-handed pitching, his strong 2021 season in San Francisco earned him a 21st-place finish in MVP voting. He was also regarded as an above-average bat from 2023–24, where Wade Jr. posted a combined .258/.376/.401 slash line with 25 home runs, 79 RBI, and 3.1 fWAR. He even ranked 11th among qualified hitters (minimum 800 plate appearances) in on-base percentage.
That production completely nosedived in 2025. Wade Jr. opened the season with the Giants and struggled mightily, batting .167/.275/.271 across 50 games. His poor play, along with the additions of Rafael Devers and Dominic Smith, led to him being designated for assignment and subsequently traded to the Angels. Despite the change in scenery, Wade Jr.’s struggles continued for parts of two months in Anaheim. Over 30 games with his new club, he hit an equally bad .169/.260/.215 over 73 plate appearances before his release in August.
The White Sox are willing to give Wade Jr. another shot during camp to see if the offseason and perhaps early work with Ryan Fuller can get him back on track. Even with his metrics taking a hit last year, there’s still plenty to like about this low-risk flier, as Wade Jr. is an easy bounceback candidate if he can prove last year was an anomaly. The biggest question will be where he fits on this team.
The newly signed Munetaka Murakami fills the White Sox’s need for a first baseman and will see the lion’s share of the work in 2026. Meanwhile, catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero appear likely to split duties at DH when not behind the plate, leaving opportunities limited there as well. That leaves right field as Wade Jr.’s best chance to earn playing time, since it’s currently wide open for competition as the outfield looks rather bleak after the Luis Robert Jr. trade. Barring another signing, Wade Jr.’s previously strong numbers against right-handed pitchers could earn him a platoon role or spot off the bench when Venable is looking to mix in a lefty bat.
While it remains to be seen how much of an opportunity Wade Jr. might be given, the decision ultimately comes down to his performance during Spring Training. We will continue to monitor him throughout camp and provide updates as the regular season approaches.
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