The White Sox reportedly plan to non-tender first baseman/outfielder, according to Robert Murray of FanSided on X. If confirmed, this move would reduce Chicago’s 40-man roster to 38 players.
Sheets, who will turn 29 in April, was a second-round pick by the White Sox in 2017. He excelled in the minors, earning recognition as one of the organization’s top 15 prospects by Baseball America for four consecutive years from 2018 to 2021. In his MLB debut during the 2021 season, he made a strong impression, hitting 11 home runs in 54 games with a .250/.324/.506 slash line and a 123 wRC+.
However, Sheets’ performance has declined in the following seasons. Over the past three years, he has posted a .227/.291/.368 batting line across 1,255 plate appearances, resulting in an 84 wRC+, meaning he has been 16% below league average offensively.
Primarily a first baseman, Sheets has been pushed to the outfield corners due to the presence of José Abreu and later Andrew Vaughn. Defensively, he has struggled significantly in the outfield, accumulating -22 Defensive Runs Saved and -13 Outs Above Average over 1,618 innings.
Sheets reached three years of service time in 2024, making him arbitration-eligible with a projected salary of $2.6 million for 2025, according to MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. Considering his performance, the White Sox appear unwilling to retain him at that cost. While a reunion at a lower salary remains possible, Sheets will now have the opportunity to explore offers from all 30 teams. If he finds a new team and improves his performance, he could remain under control for three more seasons.
The White Sox’s outfield still includes Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Benintendi, their two highest-paid players, along with recent addition Austin Slater. Other outfield options on the roster include Zach DeLoach, Oscar Colás, Dominic Fletcher, and Corey Julks. Vaughn is currently slated as the starting first baseman, although he could also be non-tendered.
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