Written By: Michael Murray
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Heading into the offseason, it was no secret that the Red Sox biggest need was starting pitching. Following the Yankees decision to sign Max Fried to an 8-year contract, it REALLY was no secret that the Red Sox needed to make a deal to get a frontline guy. And wouldn’t you know it, Craig Breslow went ahead and did just that.
In one of the biggest blockbuster trades of the offseason, the Red Sox acquired White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet in exchange for four of the Red Sox top prospects: Braden Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, and Wikelman Gonzalez. It certainly is a big haul, and one that should add a little more depth to a White Sox organization that is in the heart of a long rebuild. For the Red Sox, the deal turns what was a mediocre starting rotation into a much more solidified unit.
Enough has been said and written about Crochet and his abilities. Let’s take a look at the prospects the White Sox got in return.
Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP
Gonzalez was a name that was discussed a lot in Red Sox circles as a promising young arm. His biggest achilles heel throughout his whole minor league career has been control: he has only averaged less than 4 BB/9 in one season in the minor leagues. His mechanics are solid; he utilizes a quick overhead motion and medium leg kick to generate a lot of power off the rubber, but he’s often sporadic following through, and will sometimes fall off the rubber causing him to lose command. He does feature an effective three pitch mix, and sells his changeup very well with his arm action. If the White Sox development staff can get to work early with him on command, he easily projects as a back of the rotation starter.
Kyle Teel, C
Teel was the biggest name involved in the deal, and for a good reason. In his only full season at AA, he hit nearly .300 with a 145 wRC+, truly impressive offensive numbers for a catcher. His swing is violent, and he coils his body well from an open stance to create a ton of pop off of the bat. Defensively, there are some question marks. He moves well laterally behind the dish, but has shown stretches where his framing and blocking leave a lot to be desired. There’s no doubt that his hit tool can propel him into the heart of the White Sox order in due time, but his consistency behind the plate will definitely be something to keep an eye on as he enters a new organization.
Braden Montgomery, OF
Many people saw Montgomery as one of the biggest steals of the draft in 2024, when the Red Sox grabbed him with the 12th overall pick. An injury late in his college season kept him off the field this past season after signing, but the tools are certainly there. Offensively, Montgomery projects as a true power bat, showcasing plus bat speed to hunt fastballs early and often. The biggest questions for his offensive profile are whether or not he continues to switch hit, and how he handles secondary offerings. He should stick defensively at a corner spot, and showed plus plus arm strength throughout his time in college. He should be a name every White Sox fan pays attention to next season, given how we really don’t know what to expect coming off of the injury and making his pro debut.
Chase Meidroth, 2B
With the emergence of guys like Romy Gonzalez and David Hamilton this past season, Meidroth was somewhat stuck in the Red Sox farm system. At 5’9” and 170 pounds, he projects as a hit-first middle infielder with a solid offensive profile. His bat path is fluid, and he excels at keeping the barrel in the zone for a very long time and taking the ball to all fields. He is certainly not a power bat, but he exhibits good plate discipline and does not strike out. His defensive movements are very fluid, but he lacks in speed and footwork, which could potentially mean more time at third base down the road. Meidroth is a dying breed in today’s game, but he is definitely the type of player you want rounding out the lineup and setting the table for the big bats at the top of the order.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it was going to take a haul to trade Crochet away, and that is exactly what the White Sox got from Boston. In Teel and Montgomery, Chicago has two potential everyday starters behind the plate and in the outfield, and Teel shows the leadership qualities to one day wear the “C” on his chest. Gonzalez needs to continue developing his fastball command, but could work his way into the back end of the rotation in a few short years if all goes well. Meidroth certainly has the lowest ceiling of the four, but with the lack of major league depth currently on the White Sox roster, he has the chance to get some big league at bats and prove his worth.
There’s no denying that the White Sox had one of the worst seasons in major league history last season, and it does not look like this year is going to be any better. With that being said, their priority needs to be young, controllable talent as they attempt to rebuild their corps, almost from scratch. It won’t be immediate, but the four players acquired for Garrett Crochet are a solid step in the right direction of what is going to be a very long rebuild.
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