Former Top Red Sox Prospect Finds New Home in Free Agency

After being drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB draft, Bobby Dalbec would have to wait until the 2020 season before getting his first glimpse of major league action. In his brief stint with the team as a September call-up, Dalbec showcased his raw power, hitting six home runs in his first ten games and finishing the season with eight home runs while driving in 16 runs in 23 games. At season's end, Dalbec was ranked as Boston's third-best prospect and coming into the 2021 season, was slated to be the team's starting first baseman.

That season he showed promise as well, crushing 25 home runs and driving in 78 runs. For all his promise, Dalbec also had a glaring weakness in his approach at the plate. There was a lot of swing-and-miss to his game. During the 2021 season, Dalbec struck out 34.4% of the time. The team hoped he would fix his strikeout numbers with more big-league experience, but it has gone the other way. In his last two seasons with the club, Dalbec struck out a staggering 48.6% of his plate appearances. As a result, the Red Sox had to part ways with him in September of this season and he became a free agent at season's end.

Dalbec will be swapping his socks from red to white for the upcoming season, as he signed a Minor League contract with the Chicago White Sox with an invite to spring training on Tuesday.

Whether Dalbec ever lives up to the promise that made him a fourth-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft remains to be seen, but at 29 years old it doesn't seem likely.

A change in scenery is exactly what he wanted, and while the Chicago White Sox' lacking roster might give him a good shot at playing time, that's not exactly an organization that's likely to get the most out of its talent.

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