The White Sox have agreed to a deal with outfielder Travis Swaggerty, whom the Pirates released last month. The former No. 10 overall draft pick effectively announced the news himself on Instagram. MLBTR has confirmed that it’s a minor league deal between the two parties.
Swaggerty, 26 later this week, made a very brief MLB debut last year with Pittsburgh, going 1-for-9 in his only big league action to date. He’s been injured for much of the season but had been on a rehab assignment prior to his DFA and subsequent release. He’s been healthy enough for just 72 plate appearances in Triple-A this year, batting .200/.278/.369 in that small sample. As recently as the 2022 season, he hit .254/.348/.400 (102 wRC+) in 458 plate appearances with Triple-A Indianapolis.
Prior to the 2019 season, MLB.com ranked Swaggerty as the sport’s No. 87 overall prospect, touting his plus speed, plus glove and disciplined approach while also crediting him with an average hit tool and average power. Swaggerty has regularly displayed a keen eye at the plate, drawing a walk in 11.4% of his minor league plate appearances, and he’s swiped 59 bags in 314 minor league games (20-for-25 in Triple-A last year). He’s also fanned in nearly a quarter of his plate appearances since being drafted, however, and has never topped 11 homers in a season. He’s also dealt with several injuries, most notably requiring surgery on his non-throwing shoulder after he dislocated it during a slide in 2021.
Swaggerty becomes the fourth former top prospect on whom the White Sox have taken a chance since their deadline sell-off. Chicago also claimed right-handers Brent Honeywell Jr. and Deivi Garcia off waivers and acquired righty Luis Patino from the Rays for cash. All three were, at various points over the past few seasons, among the most touted pitching prospects in the sport. There’s little harm in the White Sox taking a look at some former top prospects in the final weeks of the season — and perhaps into next year — given the thin nature of their own farm and the various holes they’ll need to fill in the offseason.
GareBear
I will never understand why the Royals wouldn’t have claimed Honeywell or Garcia before they reached Chicago. They are so devoid of pitching and still have Jordan Lyles in their rotation for some reason.
solaris602
Royals are truly stuck with Lyles, and one has to assume they have no other SPs who are major league ready who can do any better. And it gets worse – he’s under contract for 2024.
TheMan 3
I wish Swaggerty the best, he had a good spring this year but wasn’t brought north afterwards and instead they brought CSN who couldn’t hit the ball with a telephone pole
wvpirate
Swaggeety is all hype without the minor league stats to back it. A AAAA player at best.
Edp007
Great name for a baseball movie , maybe Tom Selleck will play the part
Dumpster Divin Theo
More of a Wesley Snipes role.
briar-patch thatcher
Let’s be honest, he has an unreal baseball name, that’s why he went Top 10. The bat speed and swing plane ended up being his Achilles heel.
hyraxwithaflamethrower
Signing former 1st rounders and one-time top prospects would be a great strategy for a team that could develop talent. The White Sox are not good at that. Even so, if they can fix even one of these guys, it’s a win overall considering he low acquisition costs.
avenger65
Yes, the Sox have been signing any former first round picks they can get their hands on. They’re cheap, they can’t cut it on the major league level and, as hyrax so rightly put it, the Sox don’t develop talent. They should put all the dfa’s they’ve been signing on the chea
Dumpster Divin Theo
You can say that again
avenger65
Yes, the Sox have been signing any former first round picks they can get their hands on. They’re cheap, they can’t cut it on the major league level and, as hyrax so rightly put it, the Sox don’t develop talent. They should put all the dfa’s they’ve been signing on the cheap in a box, shake it around and see what fallsnout.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Once more with feeling
avenger65
Yes, the Sox have been signing any former first round picks they can get their hands on. They’re cheap, they can’t cut it on the major league level and, as hyrax so rightly put it, the Sox don’t develop talent. They should put all the dfa’s they’ve been signing on the cheap in a box, shake it around and see what falls out. If the garbage falls to the bottom, there won’t be anyone left in the box. (sorry for the triple post but the site submitted the first two on their own).
Dumpster Divin Theo
The random perfect game would be fun. Phil Humber says hi
vtadave
Wander on the restricted list. Wander how long that will be for….
Robertowannabe1
Depends on the nature of the relationship and if law enforcement is involved.
jjd002
I just found if. Hopefully it’s a big misunderstanding
jjd002
What happened? I see a bunch of posts/articles about a social media post but nobody is explaining what the post said.
mattwild1
He is/was *allegedly* dating a 14 year old.
IronBallsMcGinty
I heard that there’s more to it than that but it could just be bs.
IronBallsMcGinty
Lol, fair point. Ok so what I heard but again, I’m not claiming is factual: Wander met a girl when he was 22 who (along with her mother) claimed she was 18. Once he learned that the two lied about the girls real age, he walked away. Now the two are attempting to extort him for money.
Rsox
I’m not sure how many 14 year old girls can pass for 18 so there must be way more here, unfortunately though it is entirely believable that someone is trying to extort him, especially if it happened in his homeland. I guess we’ll fined out soon enough
mrmackey
Could just be a minor infraction…
Robertowannabe1
Lol! Yeah, just like that infraction with a minor committed but Relief Pitcher who shall remain nameless……
Augusto Barojas
@mrmackey LOL now that’s very funny… thank you!
Dumpster Divin Theo
Kinda like Luis Polonia and the girl he met at the Pfister in Milwaukee who also turned out to be 14. Though to be fair, Wisconsin girls tend to age faster. He thought she was 32.
Robertowannabe1
Lol!
Robertowannabe1
Wish Swaggerty the best. He has had issues with migraines and vertigo from last season. Read a n article a fe months ago saying day Gomes were not an issue biput night games would trigger the migraines and vertigo. He may never play in the Show again but hoping he can get over the issues and make it back.
Clofreesz
Swag in the South Side with Swaggerty!
Buzz Killington
The White Sox could definitely use some swag.
SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs
Oh yeah the Swagmaster coming to the South Side to teach Tim Anderson how to be cool
Grumpofm
Never understood the hype with him. However seems like a decent signing. If he lives up to the hype, then good for them. If not then they can kick him loose.
DCartrow
What with his vertigious issues, let’s hope he doesn’t become Staggerty.
Franklin
You must be related to
msqboxer
Hahn probably saw his name and had a flash back to his 2018 draft board and jumped on it.
Yoyosoxsox
Hell yeah I love that they are looking at all these guys. If just one can show something from the past it will be a w. We need anything we can get
Dumpster Divin Theo
I though they picked up Jerry Garcia and Rick Patino. At least this guy be stylin’. Swaggy D
Dumpster Divin Theo
Just like they picked up Elvis Andrus last season just before Elvis night, how much you wanna bet Swaggerty gets called up just in time for the I love the 90s night. Vanilla Ice and Tone Loc be reppin’. Just need to find 90s Indian icon Luis Medina