Tyler Saladino

There was hope that Saladino's speed paired with the White Sox's need for help at multiple infield positions to begin 2017 might lead owners in deep leagues to a surprising source of stolen bases. It didn't happen, however, as he hit a career-worst .178/.254/.229 while stepping up to the plate 281 times last season. Saladino had a back injury that first surfaced in May, and it's entirely possible that his production as a hitter bottomed out as a result of that ailment. If the White Sox retain him for a utility role in 2018, they would almost certainly be doing so with the hope that he might be capable of getting back to his 2016 levels, when he hit .282/.315/.409 over 319 plate appearances, while showing useful pop for a utility player (eight homers), and enough speed to chip in 11 steals. On a positive note, Saladino drew walks at a career-high 8.2 percent clip last season, and sustaining that skill would open up more opportunities for him to run.

After modest results in his first big league audition in 2015, Saladino was in the thick of the race for the starting shortstop job out of spring training. The White Sox ended up handing the job to veteran Jimmy Rollins out of the gate, but Saladino stayed on the major league roster as a super utility player and performed capably. With a good number of starts intermingled with appearances off the bench, the 27-year-old delivered a 93 wRC+ in 93 games. He continued to struggle with his approach, as he posted a walk rate below 5.0 percent for the second season in a row. His playing time down the stretch began to dwindle due to injuries, and his season ended up being cut short by a couple weeks due to a back issue. Saladino's showing was likely good enough to give him a similar utility role on the 2017 squad, although his long-term upside is limited, as Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada are the White Sox's clear double-play tandem of the future.

Saladino was barely on the prospect radar entering the 2015 season, but wound up starting more than 50 games at third base after the Gordon Beckham/Conor Gillaspie platoon flopped. Saladino underwent Tommy John surgery in August of 2014, but that did not impact his 2015 season to a great extent. He struck out much more frequently during his major league stay than he had in the minors, and thus reached base less frequently. He stole 33 bases in 37 attempts between Triple-A and Chicago, and has put up minor league steal totals of 28 and 38 in 2013 and 2012, respectively. However, his power potential will probably top out in high-single digits or low-teens, and with the White Sox bringing in Todd Frazier and Jimmy Rollins in the offseason, Saladino may be relegated to a bench role or Triple-A to begin 2016.

Saladino's bat was a question mark when the White Sox selected him in the seventh round of the 2010 draft, but it is said bat that has propelled him up the organization's prospect ranks. He slugged .501 in his first full professional season, and he hit 16 home runs despite missing some time early with a broken hand. He has demonstrated good defense at short, but he could shift to second or third depending on the big league club's needs in a couple seasons. Look for him to open 2012 at Double-A Birmingham after getting a taste of advanced competition in the Arizona Fall League.