The rebuilding process for the Chicago White Sox began in earnest Tuesday when the team traded away ace Chris Sale for a haul of prospects from the Boston Red Sox.
While the deal was a boon for the White Sox, there are also some smaller wheels turning within the organization.
According to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, Chicago is in search of a young catcher as it looks toward the future.
One potential target that Langosch mentions is St. Louis Cardinals prospect Carson Kelly, a 22-year-old who hit .289 with a .343 OBP in 96 games split between Double-A and Triple-A last season and was also a September call-up, appearing in 10 games for the Cardinals.
Kelly, who owns a minor league Gold Glove behind the plate, also played well in the Arizona Fall League, where he was named to the all-prospect team.
St. Louis' interest in negotiating with Chicago revolves around White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton, whom the Cardinals reportedly view as a potential option to fill their opening in center field.
Kelly would represent an upgrade over the backstops currently on Chicago's 40-man roster, namely Alfredo Gonzalez, Omar Narvaez and Kevan Smith.
Gonzalez, 24, has never played in an MLB game, while Narvaez, 24, and Smith, 28, have 133 big league plate appearances between them. None of the three produced a batting average higher than .240 at any level last season.
The White Sox drafted catcher Zach Collins with the 10th overall pick this past June. The 21-year-old slashed .244/.396/.435 with six home runs and 18 RBI in 39 games between rookie ball and high Class A ball.
-- Nick Ostiller
