The White Sox introduced Monday that they’ve (re)claimed infielder Jacob Amaya off waivers from the Orioles. Chicago designated outfielder Zach DeLoach for task in a corresponding transfer.
The ChiSox designated Amaya for task lower than a month in the past and misplaced him on waivers to Baltimore. The O’s subsequently designated Amaya for task themselves not lengthy after and unsuccessfully tried to go him by means of waivers. The Sox now successfully get a mulligan on the DFA that value them Amaya within the first place, they usually’ll as an alternative jettison the 26-year-old DeLoach from the 40-man roster.
Amaya, 26, initially landed with the South Siders by means of an August waiver declare. Previously 12 months, he’s gone from the Marlins, to the Astros, to the White Sox, to the Orioles, again to the White Sox by way of waivers. He performed 23 video games with the Sox final season however hit simply .179/.255/.194 in a small pattern. In a complete of 81 MLB plate appearances between Miami, Houston and Chicago, Amaya is a .182/.222/.195 hitter. Nonetheless, he’s touted as a high-end defender at shortstop and in addition has the power to deal with both second base or third base.
The Dodgers initially chosen Amaya within the eleventh spherical of the 2017 draft. He was traded to the Marlins within the Jan. 2023 deal delivery Miguel Rojas from Miami to Los Angeles. Amaya has performed in elements of three Triple-A seasons and is a .246/.342/.380 hitter in 1219 plate appearances there. He’s proven a powerful eye to go together with his defensive expertise, drawing a stroll in 12.4% of his plate appearances on the prime minor league stage.
Amaya is out of minor league choices, so he’ll have to interrupt camp with the White Sox or else undergo the DFA course of but once more. There’s no clear starter at shortstop for Chicago, so Amaya will be a part of a contest together with Brooks Baldwin, non-roster invitee Nick Maton and prospects Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth. Montgomery is extensively considered one of many prime infield prospects within the sport, although he’s coming off a down season on the Triple-A stage.
Amaya’s return to the group comes on the expense of DeLoach, whom the Sox acquired from the Mariners final winter within the commerce sending reliever Gregory Santos to Seattle. Righty Prelander Berroa and a aggressive steadiness draft choose additionally went to the Sox in that swap.
DeLoach’s first and now presumably solely season within the White Sox group didn’t go particularly effectively. On the one hand, he did make his massive league debut. On the opposite, he solely posted a .209/.293/.328 batting line in 75 turns on the dish. His Triple-A output (.287/.375/.410) was strong however didn’t embrace any actual positive factors from a 2023 marketing campaign whereby he batted .286/.378/.481 in Triple-A Tacoma. If something, the 2024 season was a step backward, as DeLoach fell from a career-high 23 homers in 2023 to a career-low six homers this previous season.
As a prospect within the Mariners and White Sox methods, DeLoach was well-regarded not due to any standout particular person software however as a result of he possessed common — or near it — instruments throughout the board. He’s an above-average runner who swiped 20 luggage in 2024 and popped 23 homers in 2023. He walks in effectively over 10% of his plate appearances however has additionally fanned in additional than 1 / 4 of his plate appearances the previous two seasons. DeLoach has expertise in any respect three outfield spots. He can deal with heart in a pinch however is greatest suited in left area.
The White Sox have 5 days to commerce DeLoach, and after that they’ll must put him on waivers (a 48-hour course of). He has a pair of minor league possibility years remaining, so a staff on the lookout for some lefty-hitting outfield depth may have curiosity both on a waiver declare or a small commerce.
