DALLAS — White Sox general manager Chris Getz said it was difficult to trade Garrett Crochet, but his intention to do just that was evident since the trade deadline.
Landing the Red Sox’ Nos. 4, 5, 11 and 14 prospects for the All-Star lefty made it easy.
“To be able to get a haul like we did and diversify a deal with some real talent in there, it became very obvious that this was a good deal for the Chicago White Sox,” Getz said Wednesday.
Here’s who the White Sox got:
Catcher Kyle Teel, 22, is rated by MLB Pipeline the No. 3 catcher overall. He batted .288/.386/.433 with 23 doubles, 13 home runs, 78 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 112 games last season with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. The Red Sox drafted him No. 14 overall in 2023.
Outfielder Braden Montgomery, 21, was a projected top-three pick but dropped to 12th overall in the 2024 draft and did not make his pro debut that year because of a broken ankle suffered in the college regionals. He’s expected to be ready for spring training, Getz said.
Chase Meidroth, 23, was a Triple-A All-Star after batting .293/.437/.837 with 20 doubles, seven home runs, 105 walks and 13 stolen bases in 122 games with Worcester. His 105 walks led the minor leagues, and his .437 on-base percentage ranked third. He appeared in 51 games at shortstop, 35 at third base and 19 at second. Meidroth was named Double-A Portland’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. The Red Sox drafted him in the fourth round in 2022. Getz said he has a chance to break camp with the Sox.
Wikelman Gonzalez, 22, went 4-3 with a 4.73 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 89⅓ innings for Portland in 2024. He was named the Red Sox’ minor-league starting pitcher of the year in 2023.
“I feel a lot better” about the rebuild, Getz said. “We were focused on bringing in as much high-end talent that we could, and we were able to accomplish that.”
Sox take pitcher in Rule 5 draft
With the first pick in the Rule 5 draft, the Sox selected right-hander Shane Smith from the Brewers.
Smith, 24, owns a 2.69 ERA in 73 games over three minor-league seasons in the Brewers’ organization. In 32 games between the Triple-A and Double-A levels in 2024, half of them starts, he pitched to a 3.04 ERA while averaging 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
The 6-4 Smith’s repertoire includes a mid-90s fastball, slider and curve.
“It was a clear decision for us that he was the right guy,” Getz said. “It was almost a consensus with our group, which isn’t always the case.”
There’s a good chance Smith is part of the Sox’ pitching staff in 2025. Rule 5 picks go on a team’s 26-man roster and must be put on outright waivers if removed.
“He’ll compete for a spot,” Getz said.
'Presentation' for Sasaki
The Sox have given no indications of being willing to spend significantly this offseason, but Japanese free agent Roki Sasaki will hear from them, Getz said.
“We plan on putting together a presentation for Sasaki,” Getz said. “He’s obviously a very sought-after pitcher. We’re going to get a crack at it and see if we can convert.”
Tauchman deal official
The signing of former Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman was made official, for one year at $1.95 million.
