What the Chicago White Sox’s signing of shortstop Paul DeJong could mean for the team’s defensive improvement
Paul DeJong ranks among the top 20 shortstops in several major-league defensive categories since 2018.
The Chicago White Sox have been searching for steady gloves up the middle, and they officially added to that collection Tuesday by signing DeJong to a one-year, $1.75 million contract. Reports of the deal first surfaced Nov. 21.
DeJong, who went to Antioch High School and Illinois State, has a .229/.299/.417 career slash line with 120 doubles, 116 home runs, 344 RBIs and 341 runs in 729 games during seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (2017-23), Toronto Blue Jays (2023) and San Francisco Giants (2023).
He had a combined .207 average with 13 doubles, 14 home runs, 38 RBIs and 41 runs in 112 games between the Cardinals, Blue Jays and Giants in 2023.
The Cardinals traded DeJong to the Blue Jays on Aug. 1. He was released Aug. 21, signed with the Giants on Aug. 23 and released again Sept. 21.
DeJong, 30, finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2017 after slashing .285/.325/.532 with 25 home runs and 65 RBIs in 108 games. In 2019 he earned an All-Star selection — finishing with career highs in home runs (30) and RBIs (78) in 159 games — and was a finalist for the NL Gold Glove Award.
Since the start of the 2018 season, DeJong ranks third among major-league shortstops in ultimate zone rating (28.4), sixth in defensive runs saved (41), 14th in defensive runs above average (33.1) and 18th in outs above average (14).
Earlier this month, Sox general manager Chris Getz discussed the team’s desire to improve defensively.
“It’s just having steady defenders across the diamond and all spots in the outfield as well,” Getz said at the GM meetings. “It allows our pitchers to do a lot more and be more efficient and keep pitch counts down just by attacking the zone, knowing their defense can make plays.”
Since then, the Sox made a six-player trade with the Atlanta Braves that included acquiring infielders Nicky Lopez and Braden Shewmake. Lopez, who went to Naperville Central, made two errors in 277 chances in 2023. He has played second base, shortstop and third.
The trade with the Braves and DeJong’s signing come after the Sox declined their 2024 option on shortstop Tim Anderson, making the two-time All-Star a free agent.
The Sox will continue to monitor the progress of their top prospect, shortstop Colson Montgomery. The 21-year-old finished the 2023 season with Double-A Birmingham and also participated in the Arizona Fall League.
“I will say that whether it be feedback from other organizations, the coaches on the Glendale (Ariz.) team and certainly my personal assessment, it was an impressive Fall League for him,” Getz said during a Nov. 17 video conference call. “What he did in the box, the decisions he makes, the temperament, the under-control operation that he has really stands out.
“And then defensively, he was a solid defender at shortstop. He was certainly one of the players that was talked about.”
In Tuesday’s corresponding move on the 40-man roster, the Sox designated Adam Haseley for assignment. The outfielder went 8-for-36 (.222) with two doubles, two RBIs and six runs in 28 games for the Sox in 2023.
