Despite having three catchers on the active roster, the White Sox claimed Drew Romo off waivers from the New York Mets on Thursday. In a corresponding move, the team designated infielder Ben Cowles for assignment.
Romo is 24 and has just two years of major league experience. However, he was ranked as high as No. 84 in MLB Pipeline’s top 100-prospect list in 2023. Over the past two seasons with the Rockies, he posted a minus-0.2 WAR in 19 games. He received only three big-league at-bats last season, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. In 53 plate appearances in 2024, Romo went 9-for-51, drawing two walks and striking out 18 times.
While his major league experience is limited, Romo has shown promise in the minors. In 2024, he recorded 102 hits in Triple-A, slashing .297/.339/.499 with 14 home runs and 16 RBIs across 85 games. This past season, he hit .264/.329/.409 with seven home runs over 65 games.
While those offensive numbers aren’t eye-popping, they are solid for a catcher. Romo is a switch-hitter, adding appeal for a White Sox lineup that featured a heavy dose of right-handed bats last season. But the move could also signal the end of Korey Lee’s tenure.
While it is hard to justify having three catchers on the MLB roster, Will Venable benefited from having Lee in the mix late in the season. Having the third catcher allowed Venable to give the rookie catching duo of Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel more consistent at-bats in the same lineup.
Lee is three years older than Romo, and although his offensive numbers have improved over the past two seasons, he offers less upside at the plate. A career .193 hitter, Lee has averaged nearly 30 strikeouts per season. His minor league numbers were also slightly worse than Romo’s last season. In 55 games, Lee posted a .255/.313/.405 slash line with eight homers and 23 RBIs for the Charlotte Knights.
Despite reported interest from other teams, trading away Teel or Quero this offseason remains highly unlikely. But Romo’s addition could now open the door for the White Sox to move Lee. He is still young and like Romo was a former top-100 prospect.
While he likely wouldn’t command a big return, the White Sox could use him to bolster either an outfielder spot or pitching depth, currently the team’s two most pressing needs.
