The Chicago White Sox have one of the premier centerfielders in Major League Baseball in 27-year-old Luis Robert Jr., who had a down year last season after a stellar 2023 campaign.
Robert Jr. has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason long, with the White Sox entering the second season of their full-scale rebuild.
Since Robert Jr. had such a down year and struggled to stay on the field last season, teams have been hesitant to commit to the White Sox’s asking price in trade talks. Given that, Robert Jr. needs to bounce back and have a better start to the season to boost his trade value and prove he is the true five-tool player he was scouted to be.
A potential bounce-back year for Luis Robert Jr.
The White Sox need Robert Jr. to be better than he was last season if they are to maximize the most value they can get in a trade for him. Last season, the Cuban native did manage to play in 100 games after missing some time at the beginning of the season with a right hip flexor strain. In those 100 games, Robert Jr. had a slash line of .224/.278/.379 for an OPS and OPS+ of .657 and 87, and he was not like the top 15 MVP finalists we saw in 2023. He did, however, manage to have a career high in steals with 23 which shows the hip is fine, and that his speed was not affected.
That should be a good sign going into this season fully healthy because Robert Jr. can steal 40+ bags for a full season. The other upside to look at for Robert Jr. was that he still showed he is a Gold Glove-caliber centerfielder with an above-league average fielding percentage (.990) at .992% in 828.2 innings. He was also in the 75th percentile for his range and the 88th percentile for his sprint speed per Baseball Savant, which should both increase this season.
Robert Jr. has shown flashes of being a five-tool player already winning a Gold Glove in his rookie season, has one All-Star appearance under his belt, and collecting a Silver Slugger award. Given all that, MLB.com’s David Adler predicts that Robert Jr. will break out this season.
The Chicago White Sox need a big first half from Robert Jr.
The likelihood of Robert Jr. being traded before Opening Day is becoming less and less likely the closer, we get to teams reporting to spring training.
The Cincinnati Reds have shown the most interest in Robert Jr. but have not committed to a trade with the White Sox’s asking price being too high for their liking.
If Robert Jr. can have a solid first half, or even if he puts up numbers in April and May, the White Sox could look to move him then.
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