Gavin Sheets

Players normally have breakout seasons in their third full year at the big league level, but apparently Sheets decided to flip that script. Sheets had a strong breakout rookie season in 2021, but has backslid each of the past two seasons to what was just an absolutely dismal 2023 campaign at the plate. The biggest challenge to his success is opposing pitchers figured out last season that he could be challenged with fastballs and they fed him a steady diet of them as he hit .205 off fastballs while slugging .366 off them. Those numbers are not suitable for a backup catcher let alone a corner outfielder/first base/DH type like Sheets. A poor first half (.220/.298/.374) gave way to an abysmal second half (.178/.223/.271) but Chicago continued to put him out there against righties. 2024 could see Sheets go back to the minors as he does have an option remaining so a resumption of his 2023 role is not guaranteed. He needs to flip the script right side up.

Sheets is an atypical lefty hitter these days as he is just as likely to pull a pitch up and over the right field wall as he is to take the ball the other way taking what the pitchers give him. His spray chart shows balls in play all over the place, with a healthy volume of infield hits to the left side which may be tougher to maintain in the reduced shifting marketplace which awaits him this offseason. This helps explain someone with below average speed had double-digit infield hits last season. Despite all of this, he still finishes just below the league batting average and has shown little ability to date to hit lefties, which will limit him to a strong side platoon situation when he is in the lineup. Jose Abreu's free agency opens up a spot in the lineup for Sheets, assuming the club does not go out and sign a replacement at the position. Sheets has outfield eligibility, but he is better used at DH or first base than trying to cover ground in a corner outfield spot.

Sheets is the rare type of player who patiently moved up the farm system one step at a time before reaching the majors. Sheets played collegiately at Wake Forest, and then spent nearly a full season at each level before his promotion to the big leagues last year. Three of the four farm clubs in the Chicago system were in North Carolina, so the Wake Forest grad was clearly comfortable close to home. The son of a former major-leaguer, Sheets also held his own in a platoon situation with respectable numbers against righties. The 2022 campaign could see him platooning at DH with Andrew Vaughn -- at least that's how it looks as the roster stands now. His power makes him an interesting AL-only spec play.