The White Sox have found their outfield anchor for 2025, reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $6 million deal with former All-Star Austin Hays-a move that adds both stability and experience to a group that badly needed it.
Hays, an eight-year MLB veteran, is coming off a season that was interrupted by injuries, missing 59 games. But when he was on the field, he delivered.
In 103 games with the Reds, he slashed .266/.315/.453, launched 15 home runs, and drove in 64 runs. His .768 OPS ranked second on the team among players with at least 200 plate appearances-proof that even in a shortened season, Hays remained a steady offensive presence.
At 32, Hays slots in as a clear upgrade in the corner outfield, especially after the departure of Mike Tauchman and the retirement of Michael Taylor. Tauchman was solid, posting a .756 OPS in 90 games, but Hays brings more pop and a stronger all-around profile.
With Chicago’s outfield depth chart looking thin and young, the need for a veteran who can produce and lead was urgent. Hays checks both boxes.
This isn’t just a depth signing-it’s a strategic bridge. Hays offers the White Sox a proven bat while they wait for top prospect Braden Montgomery to be MLB-ready. And with four 15-homer seasons in the last five years, Hays brings the kind of power that can change a game, especially in a lineup that’s still figuring out its identity post-Luis Robert Jr.
Speaking of Robert, his trade brought back young talent in Luisangel Acuña and freed up payroll flexibility-some of which now goes to Hays. But it also left a crater in the outfield.
Before Hays came aboard, the Sox were looking at a mix of Brooks Baldwin, Andrew Benintendi, Derek Hill, Everson Pereira, and Tristan Peters. Each has potential, but also real question marks.
Hill has a career .629 OPS across six seasons. Baldwin has utility value but is still developing defensively in the outfield.
Benintendi’s glove has regressed to the point where DH might be his future.
That kind of uncertainty is what made Hays such a necessary addition. He’s not just here to compete-he’s here to start.
And while his bat gets most of the attention, Hays brings value with the glove, too. His arm strength ranked in the 88th percentile last season, and he’s no stranger to making impact plays from the outfield.
In 2021, he finished fifth among NL left fielders with five assists. In 2022, he was fifth in all of MLB with eight.
And in 2023? He posted a perfect fielding percentage in left.
That’s the kind of defensive consistency the White Sox have been missing.
Hays’ best stretch came during his time in Baltimore, where he racked up 53 extra-base hits in 2022 and followed it with 54 in 2023-including a career-high 36 doubles. That 2023 campaign earned him an All-Star nod, thanks to a .275/.325/.444 slash line, 16 homers, and 61 RBIs. He’s not just a guy who can flash for a month-he’s shown he can carry production over a full season.
Digging deeper into his offensive profile, Hays is a fastball hitter through and through. Last season, in 95 plate appearances that ended with a heater, he hit .337 with a .705 slugging percentage.
Against sinkers, he was just as lethal-batting .353 with a .632 slugging. That kind of damage against velocity is a valuable weapon in today’s game, especially with so many teams leaning on high-octane arms out of the bullpen.
There are some caveats, of course. Hays struggles with breaking stuff-sliders, sweepers, and curveballs gave him trouble, leading to a 34.3% whiff rate on those pitches.
And injuries have been a recurring theme. In 2024, calf and hamstring issues limited him to just 85 games.
Durability isn’t a guarantee.
But for a White Sox team looking for a one-year stopgap with upside and leadership, Hays fits the bill. He’s played in the postseason each of the last three years with three different clubs-experience that matters in a clubhouse full of young, unproven talent. He’s been productive, he’s been reliable when healthy, and he’s shown he can contribute on both sides of the ball.
General manager Chris Getz has taken a volume approach to the outfield this offseason, bringing in LaMonte Wade Jr. on a minor-league deal and adding depth pieces like Dustin Harris and former first-rounder Jarred Kelenic. But even with those names in the mix, there was no clear everyday outfielder. Hays changes that.
He’s not just another name on the roster-he’s a stabilizing force. And for a White Sox team in transition, that’s exactly what they needed.