The White Sox released a list of non-roster invitees to big league Spring Training, which included many names on previously-reported deals as well as Danny Mendick. The infielder is a client of CAA Sports. Right-hander Jesse Chavez has also signed a minor league deal and been added to that NRI list, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. The righty is repped by Apex Baseball.
Chavez, 40, has appeared in 16 different MLB seasons and will be looking to add a 17th here in 2024. He has continued to be very effective as he has aged, posting a 1.56 earned run average with Atlanta last year. That surely makes him look more dominant than he actually was, as his .273 batting average on balls in play and 81.2% strand rate were both on the lucky side. But his 27.1% strikeout rate, 8.3% walk rate, 51.7% ground ball rate, 3.05 FIP and 3.35 SIERA all suggest he was still quite an effective pitcher.
The righty recently stated that he will “probably” retire after the upcoming campaign. Much of his recent success has come with Atlanta, but it’s possible he viewed Chicago as a greater chance to carve out a sizeable role this year. There are many talented arms in the Atlanta bullpen whereas the White Sox have subtracted many of their best relievers.
Gregory Santos, Kendall Graveman, Reynaldo López, Aaron Bummer, Keynan Middleton and Joe Kelly have all been traded since last summer. Liam Hendriks had his 2024 option declined as he’s recovering from Tommy John surgery. The club is reportedly planning to stretch out Garrett Crochet as a starter to see how that goes. The Sox have added Tim Hill and John Brebbia via free agency, while Rule 5 pick Shane Drohan could earn a spot, but there should be plenty of room for a veteran like Chavez.
Mendick, 30, was drafted by the White Sox and appeared in the big leagues with them in the 2019-2022 seasons. In the first three years of that stretch, he hit just .239/.298/.342. He got out to a great start in 2022, hitting .289/.343/.443 through his first 31 games. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL in June and missed the rest of the year.
He was non-tendered at the end of that season and signed with the Mets for 2023. He was frequently optioned to the minors and hit just .185/.232/.277 when in the big leagues last year. But his .282/.369/.424 line in his Triple-A action was much more palatable. He was placed on waivers at the end of the year and passed through unclaimed before electing free agency.
He has played every position except catcher in his professional career and can give the Sox some depth all over. He’s played more middle infield than other spot and that happens to be a part of the club’s position player mix that is fairly unsettled. Paul DeJong is slated to be their everyday shortstop despite the fact that he’s been pretty awful at the plate in recent years. Nicky Lopez is also a glove-first infielder and he’s likely to be the regular at second base. At third, Yoán Moncada has had lengthy stints on the injured list in each of the last two years.
Given that uncertainty, the club may need to rely on some depth options, with José Rodríguez, Lenyn Sosa and Braden Shewmake already on the 40-man roster. If Mendick can get added at any point, he still has one option year remaining. He also has between three and four years of service time, meaning he could be retained beyond 2024 via arbitration if the team were interested in keeping him around.
Why is Jesse Chavez only getting a minor league contract? Yes, I know he is 40 years old, but he had a 1.56 ERA last year in 34.2 innings.
It’s his last year and his 1.56 was laced with Injury. The potential assumption is he is “ok”. Were he “Super” he wouldn’t get a “try out” offer. This allows the sox room ,that’s all
They just added him as a NRI.
His injury was nagging but not a type of injury that generally lingers to the next season. That said the way it lingered was odd. ATL should’ve re-signed him because he’s so good there for whatever reason. But if he’s good he’s practically guaranteed to be traded to a contender. Possibly ATL. Also has said he wants to remain in game so it could be a good door to open in CHI. Can’t hurt to have two teams interested in you as a coach (at least and assuming ATL would be).
Rishi, my guess would be that he was so good there because he had a good team behind him.
Probably because he’s 40, and his arm could fall off in Spring Training. This is probably more of a situation where he’s pretty much assured to be in the pen on Opening Day, as long as he remains healthy and doesn’t completely suck in camp. Protects the team from getting burned if Father Time does show up, and I’m sure a 40 year old journeyman RP understands it. Last ride for Chavy. Good baseball guy. Hope he throws up a 1.56 again this year, and rides off into the sunset. I’m sure you’ll see him again as a pitching coach, which he said he wanted to get into.
Braves fan here – he posted on his IG that the fracture in his leg from a batted ball was finally not bugging him anymore and he could fully extend on his delivery and how he wanted to play one last year b/c he didn’t want to leave b/c a fluke injury.
Smacky,
Braves guy here too. I wasn’t exactly holding my breath, but I would’ve loved if he and the Braves could have worked something out. With whatever team, good to see him still in the mix.
Exactly
At this point in the off-season of he’s willing to come in as a non-roster invite and you don’t need to make a 40 man move to kick the tires on him in spring training you don’t add him to the 40 man.
I’d say his odds of making this bullpen are fair. though.
The odds are he’s the primary set up man. He must like Chicago too. This is at least the third time he’s ended up there.
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It amazes me that anyone over the age of 7 hasn’t figured out how to use the internet these days 🙂 I guess it’s true when they say people would rather complain than get something done.
You can apparently pay a few bucks, less than 1/3 a big Mac and then you can STFU
They’re just going to trade him to ATL at the deadline anyway.
They just picked him up to trade him to the Braves.
I hope they do. He is great for the Braves.
One of the weirder things in a game as weird as baseball.
He was injured most of last season with the Braves. Btw he said that this season will be his last before he retires.
About half of last season
Your right my b.
He said it “might” be his last season.
Don’t go CNN with actual quotes.
Nice depth move on Chavez. As bad as the Sox’ BP is, I’d be pretty surprised if he didn’t make the OD roster if he’s healthy.
Don’t use him as a closer. But this move is fine as depth/bonus piece.
He’ll pitch like crap until the deadline, then get traded to the Braves for a player to be named later
So when does he get traded to the Braves?
This is how championships are built. Take that, Dodgers!
@Augusto Barojas
Dodgers are built to win the season not the world series.
This is probably the worst roster in all of baseball smh……
Danny Mendick was solid for the white Sox in 2022 before Adam Haselsey was called up and flat out destroyed him.
Here for some good Mendick comments
He wasn’t that bad during his first stint with the White Sox. But then again they desperately need a 2B. I hope that the white Sox are the underdogs this season.
Yeah Aiden, I think he was talking about some different Mendick comments….
How could the Pale Hosers be anything but underdogs this season? Even the A’s will have a better record.
I doubt they do worse than the A’s.
White Sox have been underdogs before. Projected to have the 4th/5th worst record in MLB this upcoming season.
They should try Mendick in the two hole
Sounds accurate
In high school they called him Danny Schmendrick
As in, White Sox fans love Men dick?
Jesse will be back in Atlanta by the trade deadline and be in their bullpen for a long playoff run. He’ll retire on top.Between now and August he’ll mentor the White Sox relievers
Depends if he makes the OD roster. But the white Sox need more RP than SP.
He’ll make it. The White Sox are going to be horrible and Chavez actually had a good season last year when healthy.
Chavez should slide right into the 8th inning role there. That’s a really sketchy bullpen.
Well, it’s not much. Getz has made a handful of insignificant moves but none of them are bad.
They’ve gone from losing maybe 115 games to only 105. It’s a rebuild. They just don’t want to say this is our 3rd rebuild in recent years cuz we half assed the first two.
There was no evidence in 2013. The only time they had evidence rebuilding was 2017-2023. We as fans don’t know what truly happens in a front office tbh. Your last sentence is plausible. Jerry doesn’t want another rebuild per his rare press conference. Getz said its a “retool”. His “retool” plan is somewhat accurate. Can’t really say it’s a rebuild with Cease or Robert still on the roster. The earliest they can probably compete is 2025/2026.
Retool? This roster is dreadful. Cease,Robert,Jimenez & Benitendi is all they got.
Your missing Andrew Vaughn, Yo yo.
Nobody would miss Andrew Vaughn.
Vaughn spent virtually no time in the minors. If you compare him to every MLB player at the same age, he has been productive. He’s steadily improving, is only 25 and ready for a big season.
Actually 1 season back in 2019. I agree that’s he at least trying to improve.
Getz and Chavez were teammates in KC. 2010-11.
Yep.
Sign with a bad team, crack the bullpen, get traded to a contender mid-season, make one last postseason run and ride off into the sunset. Sounds like a plan to me
He’s going to come in and an feel a twing Tommy John … DONE
Picking up these two off the scrap heap was probably better than signing DeJong and getting Lopez via trade.
Dejong yes, the Bummer trade no.