Veteran infielder Brandon Drury’s short time with the Chicago White Sox has come to an end once again. Per the MiLB transaction log, the White Sox have released Drury from his minor league contract, marking the second time this year the club has cut him.
Drury had been sidelined since May 8 due to a wrist injury he sustained from a hit-by-pitch while playing for Triple-A Charlotte. Manager Sergio Santos noted last week that Drury was still able to field, but felt discomfort when swinging. He hadn’t played since April 26, appearing in just 10 games and hitting .179/.319/.282 with one home run over 47 plate appearances.
The wrist issue followed an earlier setback: a broken thumb in late spring training. Drury had initially signed a minor league deal ahead of camp and impressed early by hitting .410 over 13 Cactus League games. However, the thumb injury derailed his chances of making the Opening Day roster. He was released shortly afterward, only to be re-signed in mid-April.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t rediscover his form after returning. His brief Triple-A stint failed to show much promise before landing on the injured list again.
Despite his recent struggles, Drury’s past performance might still attract attention once he’s healthy. The 32-year-old had a career-best season in 2022, winning a Silver Slugger after slashing .263/.320/.492 with 28 home runs and 87 RBIs between the Reds and Padres. He followed that with another solid year in 2023 for the Angels, hitting .262 with 26 homers and 83 RBIs.
However, his production sharply declined last season, as he posted a .169/.242/.228 line over 360 plate appearances, which significantly reduced his free-agent market value and forced him to prove himself in the minors.
Given his versatility — with experience across the infield and even in the outfield — and his past power numbers, Drury could still be an attractive depth piece for teams in need of veteran help. For now, though, lingering injury issues and inconsistent play may keep him out of the majors.
