Outfielder Nomar Mazara, whose power production has never quite matched his expected potential, was acquired by the Chicago White Sox from the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
Texas received minor league outfielder Steele Walker in the deal.
Mazara, 24, hasn’t shown significant improvement since his rookie season with the Rangers in 2016, when he hit 20 homers and drove in 64 runs. The following three years, he slugged 20, 20 and 19 homers. He has only reached 80-plus RBIs once, when he finished with 101 in 2017.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement, “At just 24 years old, Nomar provides us with a left-handed-hitting right fielder who fits into our current team’s development arc and who still has untapped potential. Nomar adds yet another young, exciting bat with upside to our lineup.”
Heading into his second year of arbitration eligibility, Mazara is likely to make at least $5 million in 2020 after earning $3.3 million in 2019.
In 537 games over four seasons with the Rangers, Mazara batted .261 with a .320 on-base percentage, a .435 slugging percentage, 79 homers and 308 RBIs.
“He’s obviously a powerful man,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said Tuesday. “He’s 6-4 but he looks like he’s 7 foot every time I see him in the box. Runs extremely well for a big guy. Can defend. Good arm. Brings a lot of qualities to the plate. Can pop one in the seats as quickly as anybody.”
Mazara could take over in right field for the White Sox, who used five players for at least 20 games at that position this year, topped by light-hitting Ryan Cordell (49 games).
Walker, 23, split last season between two Class-A teams, batting .284/.361/.451 with 10 homers, 62 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 120 games. He was the White Sox’s second-round draft pick in 2018 out of the University of Oklahoma.
