MLB’s free-agent market is loosening up. This week, Liam Hendriks joined the White Sox and Archie Bradley joined the Phillies. The Yankees are on the verge of re-signing DJ LeMahieu to a reported $90 million deal. And the Mets appear to be nearing an agreement with the best remaining free-agent reliever, Brad Hand.
A little piece of news beneath all of that big activity was former Phillie Nick Williams finding a new opportunity. He agreed to a minor-league contract with the White Sox worth $900,000 if he’s in the majors, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
The White Sox projected starting outfield is Adam Eaton in right, Luis Robert in center and Adam Engel in left.
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Williams, now 27, did not have an at-bat in the majors in 2020. He was claimed off waivers by the Reds on August 15 and spent time at their alternate site before being let go.
In 903 plate appearances with the Phillies from 2017-19, Williams hit .254/.313/.420 with 30 doubles, 31 homers and about five times as many strikeouts as walks. He showed promise as a rookie but couldn’t find a role on the 2019 team, hitting just .151 in 106 at-bats.
Williams, a second-round pick in 2012, was one of five players the Phillies acquired from the Texas Rangers at the 2015 trade deadline for Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman. At the time, the Rangers were deep in outfield prospects with Williams, Nomar Mazara and Lewis Brinson, who was eventually traded to the Brewers for Jonathan Lucroy, then to the Marlins for Christian Yelich. Mazara is the most accomplished of that group with 79 homers from 2016-19, but none of them has panned out as expected.
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