White Sox Minor Latest Minor League Signing Could Factor Into Bullpen Mix

With bullpen depth still a priority this offseason, the White Sox signed left-hander Ryan Borucki to a minor league deal over the weekend in an effort to strengthen their relief corps. 

The 31-year-old Chicagoland native was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2012 out of Mundelein High School, bringing a veteran presence to what remains a relatively inexperienced White Sox bullpen.

With Sean Newcomb expected to compete for a spot in the starting rotation this spring, Chicago enters camp thin on left-handed relief options. Brandon Eisert and Tyler Gilbert will enter Spring Training as the White Sox primary southpaws from last season, making Borucki a potential depth piece as roles begin to take shape.

Borucki brings no shortage of experience, having logged parts of eight MLB seasons and 256.1 career innings, more than half of which have come out of the bullpen. However, whether he can make the team remains another question. 

Borucki spent six weeks on the injured list last season with a back issue. After signing a minor league deal with Pittsburgh last offseason, he was released in August and later rejoined the Toronto Blue Jays, although he made just four appearances with the team. He finished the season with a 4.63 ERA and an 11% walk rate. 

Borucki opened his career with Toronto, spending four and a half seasons there before being traded to Seattle in the second half of the 2022 season and later signing with the Pirates in May of 2023. Over that span, he has posted a 4.28 career ERA while striking out 19.7% of opposing hitters and issuing walks to 8.9%.

Borucki has never been a high-strikeout pitcher. Instead, he relies on pitch movement to generate soft contact. His four-pitch arsenal features a slider, sinker, splitter, and sweeper, with the sinker being his only offering that reaches 90 mph.

Despite his low velocity, Borucki has been able to generate ground balls at an impressive 48% rate over his career. Last season, opposing hitters averaged just 87 mph exit velocity against him, among the lowest in MLB, while his career hard-hit rate of 36.9% ranks better than the league average.

However, Borucki looks to be a true left-handed specialist, holding left-handed hitters to just a .181 batting average while righties have feasted on him, hitting .282.

The signing is a low-risk move for a White Sox bullpen in need of depth. At the same time, the minor league deal underscores the team’s continued focus on cost-effective additions. 

After adding Sean Newcomb and Munetaka Murakami, the White Sox have made a series of under-the-radar moves. While this winter has been productive in terms of roster additions, relying on minor league signings to fill out the roster highlights that Chicago is still a way from contending.