The White Sox signed a free agent earlier today. Outfielder Cal Mitchell is now a member of the organization and will receive an invite to big league camp as part of the agreement, per Aram Leighton of Just Baseball.
A former second-round pick by the Pirates in 2017, the 25-year-old left-handed hitting Mitchell has limited major-league experience. He hit just .222 with a .626 OPS over 71 games with the Pirates in 2022 and 2023.
Following his 2023 season, Mitchell elected free agency and signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres in November last year. He spent the entirety of 2024 with the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Padres AAA affiliate. Mitchell performed well this past season, hitting .277 with a .871 OPS in 122 games. He also flashed power, hitting 26 doubles and 22 home runs while stealing 12 bases. Mitchell is a bat-first player, and if he makes it to Chicago, it will be because of his offensive abilities.
Since he signed a minor league deal, Mitchell must prove himself in spring training to make the White Sox big league team. The organization already had a logjam in the outfield even before Mitchell arrived. He will join a spring training competition with Dominic Fletcher, Zach DeLoach, Corey Julks, and Oscar Colás for a roster spot alongside mainstays Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Benintendi. The team also signed veteran outfielder Austin Slater earlier this offseason, so he will factor into the equation somewhere as well.
Luis Robert Jr.’s name has been swirling in trade rumors for months, and the team “would love” to trade him this offseason. With a potential trade involving Robert Jr. in the works, it makes sense for the organization and fringe players to work out minor league contracts with spring training invites. The team could use added outfield depth if Robert Jr. does head out, and a guy like Mitchell has a better shot at earning a big-league job with the bottom-feeding White Sox than virtually anywhere else.
Cal Mitchell will likely be a depth piece for the White Sox and could start the season in AAA if he remains with the organization after spring training. Still, the fact that the organization is bringing in outfielders is a noteworthy development given Luis Robert Jr.’s uncertain future in Chicago.
