Brett Lawrie may have never gotten over being the centerpiece of the package the Oakland Athletics received in return for Josh Donaldson, who won the AL MVP award with the Toronto Blue Jays last season. The 25-year-old still has upside and spent his first four years as a pro with the Toronto Blue Jays.
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Lawrie, who hit 16 home runs and drove in 60 RBI during the 2015 season in Oakland, is under contract for two more seasons before hitting free agency. Lawrie had a down year defensively at the third base position last season as he committed 18 errors but his career 1.1 UZR/150 would suggest that he is an average defender at the position.
Lawrie’s production should go up with the White Sox. Erwin didn’t play higher than Single-A in 2015 though – it was his first year of professional baseball.
The right-handed Wendelken pitched 43 innings at Double-A in 2015 and finished with a 2.72 ERA and 56 strikeouts. The Royals and White Sox went on to have a mostly civil rest of the season. Ultimately, their splash resulted in more sink than swim and appeared to leave the White Sox financially limited this time around.
As for Wendelken, he played the two highest levels of minor league ball and fared rather well himself, registering five saves and a 3.20 ERA as a reliever after struggling in a starter’s role in 2014.
The move fit within the club’s plan to make the major-league product better, while also trying to keep the minor-league system strong. Erwin, a starting pitcher, was a fourth-round pick last June out of Clemson. The A’s will get two prospects that they want and the White Sox get a proven third baseman with good power numbers and team control for at least two seasons.
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Teams continue to inquire about White Sox talent, though, both on the major-league roster and in the minor leagues.
