The White Sox signed Nick Maton to a minor league deal in late November, as indicated by the infielder’s MLB.com profile web page. Aram Leighton of Simply Baseball Media (X hyperlink) writes that Maton’s contract an invite to Chicago’s large league Spring Coaching camp.
Maton performed in 179 video games with the Phillies and Tigers over his first three Main League seasons, however he made simply 5 appearances with the Orioles in 2024. Baltimore acquired Maton from Detroit final February, and Maton then spent the season bouncing on and off the Orioles’ 40-man roster. Maton was designated for task after which outrighted on three separate events, and he additionally spent a few month on the injured record at Triple-A Norfolk.
Between the roster shuffling and the damage absence, Maton was fairly productive on the Triple-A degree, hitting .258/.363/.471 with 16 homers in 344 plate appearances for Norfolk. This marks the third straight season that Maton has posted sturdy numbers towards Triple-A pitching, and he carried that momentum ahead to the MLB degree in 2022, posting an .855 OPS in 85 PA with the Phillies.
The Tigers had been intrigued sufficient to carry Maton to Detroit as a part of a five-player commerce in January 2023, however Matt Vierling ended up being the far more productive utility choice for the Tigers in each 2023 and 2024. Maton struggled to a .173/.288/.305 slash line in 293 PA with Detroit, then had an arthroscopic knee surgical procedure final offseason.
As he enters his age-28 season, Maton ought to have loads of alternative to interrupt camp with a White Sox workforce that wants assist everywhere in the diamond. Maton’s means to play second base, third base, shortstop, and each nook outfield slots makes him an attention-grabbing candidate for bench or part-time obligation, and his left-handed bat may complement Lenyn Sosa and Miguel Vargas (each righty swingers) at second and third base specifically. The White Sox will give Maton a glance in camp and see if he’s a match, although conserving him as an organizational depth piece could possibly be difficult by the truth that Maton is out of minor league choices.
