White Sox close to signing veteran catcher Soto
The Chicago White Sox used the No. 10 overall pick in last season's draft to acquire Zack Collins, and they are confident he will become their No. 1 catcher in the future.
But now that the Sox have traded ace starting pitcher Chris Sale and top outfielder Adam Eaton to launch a rebuild, there's no need to rush Collins, who split last season with the Arizona League White Sox and high Class A Winston-Salem.
In need of a veteran catcher to give Collins more time to develop in the minor leagues, the Sox have reportedly targeted Geovany Soto. A source said the two sides are close but have not yet agreed on a contract.
Bringing back the 33-year-old Soto makes sense for the White Sox.
When he was with the Sox in 2015, backing up Tyler Flowers, Soto was a positive clubhouse influence. He played in 78 games and posted a .219/.301/.406 hitting line with 9 home runs and 21 RBI.
Soto played for the Los Angeles Angels last season and was limited to 26 games due to knee and thumb injuries. Soto, a native of Puerto Rico, has started his 12-year career with the Cubs and has played for five MLB teams.
As it stands now, the Sox have two catchers with major-league experience: Omar Narvaez played in 34 games last season and slashed .267/.350/.337 with 1 home run and 10 RBI. Kevan Smith hit .125 in 7 games while dealing with back and knee issues.
Sox claim Garcia:
The White Sox claimed outfielder Willy Garcia off waivers from the Pirates on Friday.
To clear a spot for Garcia on the 40-man roster, the Sox designated Jason Coats for assignment.
Garcia, 24, is best known for his strong throwing arm. In 128 games with Class AAA Indianapolis last season, he batted .245 with 30 doubles, 6 home runs and 43 RBI.
Coats played in 28 games with the White Sox in 2016, batting .200 with 1 homer and 4 RBI. He hit .330 in 78 games with AAA Charlotte.
Asche joins White Sox:
According to Baseball America, the Sox signed third baseman/outfielder Cody Asche to a minor-league contract.
Asche played in 371 games with the Phillies over the past four seasons, slashing .240/.298/.385 with 31 home runs and 125 RBI.