This is the first part of a three part series that talks about an offseason need for the White Sox. In this series, it will be talked about how the Pale Hose will need to fill the need of designated hitter in 2020 as that was a position that was historically bad. For the first part of this series, it will talk about the internal options from the minor leagues and who are the options that fit best. This does not mean they will go this direction, but it is an option. Let's take a look at some players the club will take into consideration if they go the internal route.
Yermin Mercedes
There was a lot of talk about the team promoting Mercedes this season, but it never materialized. That being said, Mercedes is a bat first type of player and it could be useful to have him become the Sox DH in 2020. He is productive at the plate with some thump as he hit 17 home runs and drove in 62 runs for Charlotte in just 53 games in 2019, but he was also able to get on base a lot with .386 OBP. His average and slugging percentage weren't anything to scoff at either as he hit .310 and slugged .647. He probably will be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft this offseason, but if he isn't picked, the Sox should seriously give him a chance at the job in the spring.
Micker Adolfo
This is a long shot. Adolfo has the bat to do some serious damage, but injuries have hampered his development. Otherwise, he would be seriously considered. However, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be discounted from being considered. He has hit 16 home runs in 2017 and 11 in 2018, but he has not played above AA and has only played in 23 games at that level too. He has the tools, but it's a long shot for him to become the DH in 2020. That being said, never say never.
Gavin Sheets
Sheets started the 2019 season off slowly, but then suddenly got into a groove and was crushing the ball for Birmingham. In the 126 games he played for the Barons, Sheets hit 16 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also had the propensity to get on base as his OBP was .345. The concern though was his low slugging percentage of .414, but remember, he struggled to start the season as he was significantly better. His slugging percentage to start the season was .293 and he went .440 the rest of the way. The problem here is that he has only played at AA. While it isn't out of the realm of possibility, it will be tough for him to win that job out of camp despite a promising season.
Most likely to be the starter: Mercedes. It all comes down to how much time Mercedes spent in AAA for the decision here. Sheets is more likely to become the starter in the future, but he still needs developing. The truth here is that none of these players probably won't get the job in 2020, but it is worth considering as there is some production they provide and believe it or not it would've been better than what the Sox got in 2019.
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