Evaluating the White Sox Return for Garrett Crochet
p/c: Paul Rutherford
The Chicago White Sox ended the 2024 season finishing with the worst record, in the 162-game era at 41-121.
The only silver lining - and I mean ONLY silver lining this year for the White Sox - was Garrett Crochet.
In his first season as a full-time starter, Crochet posted a 3.58 ERA, a much better FIP of 2.69, and a 4.1 fWAR, in 32 starts.
When it comes to offseason trade candidates, Crochet was probably the worst kept secret, as practically everyone in the baseball industry knew that the White Sox would look to sell high, on their All-Star ace.
During the final day of the Winter Meetings, the Boston Red Sox acquired Crochet. In return, the White Sox received catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth, and pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez.
p/c: Maddie Malhotra
As a first round selection by the Red Sox in 2023, Teel is one of the best catching prospects in the minors, with most considering him second best behind only Ethan Salas of the San Diego Padres.
The 2024 season for Teel was spent playing with AA Portland and AAA Worcester. He combined to slash .288/.386/.433. Teel has good speed for a backstop, as he stole 12 bases.
Aside from the strong, offensive output, Teel is already improving as a receiver and pitch framer behind the plate.
Montgomery was a first round selection of the Red Sox in this year’s draft.
At 6’2, 220 pounds, Montgomery is a switch-hitting outfielder, who has plus power from both sides of the plate, although he makes more consistent contact from the left side. He continues to improve his overall plate discipline.
Montgomery has a cannon for a throwing arm, so he should no doubt stick in right field. The range can be described as average.
p/c: Tayla Bolduc
Chase Meidroth became a fourth round draft pick by Boston in 2022.
While Meidroth may not have many exciting tools, the one thing he does extremely well is get on base.
This past season with Worcester, Meidroth put up the best OBP in the International League at .437.
Throughout his minor league career, the approach at the plate from Meidroth is outstanding, as he’s drawn more walks (199) than strikeouts (180).
Defensively, Meidroth seems best suited to play second base, due to his fringy arm.
Wikelman Gonzalez signed with the Red Sox in 2018 as an amateur pitcher out of Venezuela, for a quarter of a million dollars.
The 2024 season was a mixed bag for Gonzalez. In 83.2 innings, he had a 4.73 ERA, even though he held opponents to a .198 batting average against. Gonzalez struck out 92 batters (9.9 K/9), but allowed 46 free passes (4.9 BB/9).
The fastball for Gonzalez can reach 97 mph. His secondary offerings include a mid-80’s slider, a mid-80’s changeup, and a curveball that sits in the upper-70’s. However, he struggles to find consistent command.
Assessment: The Red Sox were certainly in the market, for a top-of-the-rotation starter, and went the trade route by acquiring Crochet. By moving exclusively prospects, they get to keep first baseman Triston Casas. Reports had surfaced that Boston was open to trading Casas, so there was lots of speculation that he could be involved, in a Crochet deal.
For White Sox GM Chris Getz, it’s a terrific, package to obtain, for Crochet, who has two years of team control. Kyle Teel is an elite catching prospect that should join the White Sox at some point in 2025, Braden Montgomery potentially could be an All-Star caliber outfielder, Chase Meidroth provides an excellent, on base skill set, with the chance of becoming the everyday second baseman, and Wikelman Gonzalez has the stuff to be a high upside starter, if he can find the strike zone enough. Worst case scenario is a late-inning reliever.