Chicago White Sox: 1 rookie was magnificent in the ALDS

The Chicago White Sox had a lot of different players contribute to their success in 2021. Some of them were expected and some of them were unexpected. One of those who brought unexpected success is Gavin Sheets. He was magnificent from the day he was called up onward. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact at the MLB level.

He was so good down the stretch that he made the roster for the White Sox in the postseason. Not only did he make it, but he was also one of their best hitters during the series. The team mostly fell off offensively in the four games against the Houston Astros but Sheets was magnificent in his time.

Sheets had 12 plate appearances during the series where he had four hits. He slashed .333/.333.667 for an OPS of 1.000. One of those hits was a big home run that gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead in game four. Unfortunately, the Astros dominated the rest of the game from there.

In addition to his awesome numbers with his bat this season, he has shown the ability to adapt defensively. He can play the outfield, first base, and designated hitter whenever he is needed. He gained Tony La Russa’s trust very quickly.

Gavin Sheets was one of the best players for the Chicago White Sox in the playoffs.

There is no doubt that Sheets will be involved next year. He has to prove that he can keep it going but there is no doubt that he has what it takes to play Major League Baseball. He hits for power on a regular basis and he has shown the ability to be clutch. He has a knack for tying a game and he can win it from time to time as well. Playing this well in both the regular season and ALCS is proof that he is in this for the long haul.

Sheets wasn’t the only rookie that made an impact in 2021. Kids like Andrew Vaughn, Jake Burger, Garrett Crochet, and Yermin Mercedes all made an impact throughout the season. This is something that needs to continue going forward for the team to have success in the long term. The rebuild is over but there is more development needed.

We don’t know how long Jose Abreu is going to be around but we hope it is for a very long time. With that said, having power hitters like this in the pipeline is going to go a long way. Gavin Sheets is one of these players and we can only hope that his ALCS performance is a sign of more to come in high-pressure situations.