2:39pm: White Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol confirmed to reporters (together with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin) that Robinson had the power to choose out of his contract with the membership if not added to the 40-man roster.
12:08pm: The White Sox introduced this afternoon that they’ve chosen the contract of catcher Chuckie Robinson. Outfielder Duke Ellis was designated for task to make room for Robinson on the 40-man roster. Robinson was optioned to Triple-A following the choice of his contract.
Robinson, 29, signed with the White Sox on a minor league deal again in December. In 41 video games on the Triple-A degree this 12 months, he’s hit simply .235/.288/.386 with a 24.4% strikeout price. That comparatively lackluster slash line was nonetheless sufficient to earn Robinson his first time on a 40-man roster since 2022, when he appeared in 25 video games for the Reds and slashed simply .136/.136/.271 in 60 journeys to the plate for the membership. With the White Sox, Robinson as a depth catcher behind the membership’s present tandem of Martin Maldonado and Korey Lee, providing the membership an optionable catcher they’ll depend on within the occasion of an damage. By including Robinson to the 40-man roster, the White Sox additionally bypass any hypothetical opt-outs that Robinson could have accessible to him in his minor league take care of the membership, securing his place within the group.
Making room for Robinson on the 40-man is Ellis, who was chosen onto the membership’s roster earlier this month. The 26-year-old was a Twenty sixth-round decide by the Padres again in 2017 however didn’t signal. Finally, he landed with the White Sox in 2020 as an undrafted free agent and made his professional debut for the membership the next 12 months. Ellis labored his means by the membership’s minor league system over the previous 4 years however usually struggled with the bat at every degree, posting an general slash line of simply .241/.328/.333 throughout his 4 seasons within the minors.
Ellis nonetheless managed to crack the majors regardless of that lackluster offensive efficiency thanks primarily to his blazing velocity. The outfielder has swiped 117 luggage in 133 alternatives throughout his time within the minors and went 34-for-36 on the minor league degree on the basepaths this 12 months. That elite baserunning carried over to his time in Chicago, the place the White Sox used him primarily as a pinch runner and noticed him steal 4 bases in 4 makes an attempt throughout his transient time in Chicago. The White Sox may have one week to both work out a commerce or try to cross Ellis by waivers. If he goes unclaimed, they’ll have the chance to outright him to the minor leagues. Given Ellis lackluster offensive capability, it could be straightforward to think about golf equipment passing on the teenager. With that being mentioned, nonetheless, it’s a minimum of doable that his expertise as a speedster may catch the attention of a workforce with room for a pinch runner and defensive substitute of their bench combine.