The Chicago White Sox completed another monumental task on Wednesay afternoon, agreeing to a giant eight-year, $88 million contract with top prospect Luis Robert.
Jeff Passan of ESPN.com broke the news.
The 22-year-old outfielder is Chicago's No. 1 ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline. He signed with the White Sox in May 2019, and Robert's contract included a whopping $26 million bonus.
Robert has yet to play a game at the MLB level, but it won't be long until he makes the jump to the big leagues. He's among the most MLB-ready prospects, displaying strong numbers for the Birmingham Barons of the Southern League and for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights of the International League.
The White Sox have one of baseball's deepest farm systems, and with Robert leading the way, the franchise is more than bright for a team that has only made the playoffs once since their 2005 World Series championship season.
Chicago general manager Rick Hahn signed 2015 AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel to a three-year deal worth $55.5 million, though the contract includes a vesting option that could make it worth $74 million.
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The White Sox also signed two-time All-Star pitcher Gio Gonzalez, who led the National League in wins back in the 2012 season. Together, he and Keuchel should solidify a rotation that also consists of 25-year-old standout Lucas Giolito and 10-game winner Reynaldo Lopez.
Chicago finished third in the AL Central last season with a 72-89 record, after finishing fourth in the division in each of the previous five years. The White Sox haven't recorded a winning season since 2012.
But with youngsters like Robert, Michael Kopech, Yoan Moncada and veteran slugger Jose Abreu leading the way, there's good reason to believe that the White Sox are preparing to turn a corner. They still have a way to go in catching up with the defending AL Central champion Minnesota Twins, but it won't be long until the White Sox grow into a perennial World Series contender.
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