Brooks Baldwin currently is batting .368 with 11 home runs in 28 games at Triple-A Charlotte. Many Chicago White Sox fans see this and wonder why the 24-year-old switch hitter is not with their club.

The White Sox have been through this before, however. A year ago, Baldwin batted .324 in 82 games across Double-A Birmingham and Charlotte. Called up to Chicago, he hit .211 in 33 games.

Baldwin opened this season with the Chisox. In 47 games, he hit — .211!

“Part of the reason why he’s in Triple-A (is) because we want him to play,” White Sox manager Will Venable told MLB.com when Baldwin was sent back down. “He’s still a young player, and we just don’t have that opportunity for him here. He’s part of our vision for the future, and for him to get there and really develop, he needs to be in Triple-A playing.”

The White Sox, at 28-56, are not going anywhere in terms of reaching the 2025 post-season. When he was called up a year ago, the White Sox were indeed going somewhere – to the worst MLB record since 1899, finishing at 41-121 under managers Pedro Grifol (28-89) and Grady Sizemore (13-32).

So why not give Baldwin that playing time in Chicago and see if can hit more like .311 than .211?

That could happen if the team can deal veterans Andrew Benitendi, Mike Tauchman and Luis Robert Jr. (currently in what seems to be his annual permanent residence on the injured list) in exchange for prospects.

“His time will come and he’ll rejoin the team, I would imagine in the near future,” General Manager Chris Getz said on June 17.

The organization has not done Baldwin any favors. The 6-1, 195-pounder from North Carolina has not uttered a peep of protest while shuttled around to seven positions in his young career.

Baldwin has played everywhere except pitcher and catcher. He does not own a catcher’s mitt and his arm gets only an ordinary grade by most scouts, so at least he has that not going for him.

“We’ve asked a lot of Brooks, whether it be bouncing around the diamond, on the infield and the outfield,” Getz said. “He’s gotten the majority of his work in the outfield and a matter of fact in center field, so we feel like it’s a good opportunity for him to get as many reps as possible out there.”

“Offensively, he’s performed really well. He is an aggressive hitter. We’ve seen that. He’s continued to do that. We’re focused on honing in an approach that we know is going to translate up here on a more sustainable basis. But most importantly, just get him comfortable on the defensive side.”

Brooks Baldwin’s Background

The White Sox have a gaggle of impressive minor-leaguers. Baldwin is listed as only No. 24 on the organization’s top prospects list by MLB.com.

He wasn’t picked until the 12^th round in 2022 and got just $125,000 to sign. The 371^st overall choice that year, however, has already beaten 337 guys picked ahead of him to the Majors.

He helped his draft lot in 2022 by hitting .347 with 11 homers in 48 games as a senior at UNC-Wilmington. He then hit .361 in 24 games in the Cape Cod wood-bat league and the White Sox took more notice.

Baldwin has hit .295 in 230 games in the minors, showing a bit of pop with 34 homers and 43 doubles, and a tad of speed with 45 steals in 59 tries. The line-drive hitter has been more productive from the left side.

Defensively, he has performed the best at second base, third and short. The White Sox have him working more in the outfield, where they are short of prospects. MLB.com lists only George Wolkow (No. 11) and Dominic Fletcher (No. 13) ahead of Baldwin.

Playing Everywhere

Pete Rose is MLB’s all-time hits leader with 4,256. He’s also the only man to play more than 500 games at five positions: 939 at first base; 673 in left; 634 at third; 628 at second; 589 in right. He also played 97 games in center.

Like Rose and Baldwin, Tony Phillips was a switch-hitter who played all over. In 18 seasons for six big-league teams, he was a valuable player with a bit of power (160 homers) and speed (177 steals).

Phillips scored more than 100 runs in a season four times and drew more than 100 walks five times.

He also was a designated hitter in 101 games and played solid defense all over: 778 games at second; 565 in left; 438 at third; 294 at shortstop; 169 in right; 97 in center; 5 at first.

Another multi-position switch hitter was Gregg Jefferies for six teams, 1987-2000. He set the minors on fire in the New York Mets’ system in 1986 by hitting .353 with 111 RBI and 57 stolen bases. In the majors, he hit .286 with 126 homers, 196 steals and played 277 or more games at first, second, third and left field.

Hall of Famer Paul Molitor hit .306 with 234 homers and 504 steals for three teams from 1978 to 1998. He also played seven positions, most notably in order: third, second, first and short.

Woodie Held was a right-handed slugger for seven teams from 1954 through 1969. He is the only man to play 112 or more games at six positions, the most being 539 games at shortstop.

Held was Hector Lopez’s teammate with the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics. Lopez played seven spots, including more than 178 games at four of them from 1955 until 1966.

Baldwin’s Chicago White Sox Future

What happens is anybody’s guess though he seems to be destined for utility work. Sometimes, such players become perennial all-stars. It is not out of the question.

Baldwin has looked sharp in left field and may win a permanent job there while being able to help out on occasion in the infield. If he hits consistently well, they will find a place for him.

Baldwin doesn’t display any overpowering skills yet seems solid in every aspect of the game. His versatility likely will be his most valuable attribute. Such players are often highly sought to plug a hole here or there and therefore move from team to team as well as from position to position.

Baldwin’s line-drive stroke from both sides of the plate increases his value as a jack-of-all-trades sort. Maybe it will be with the Chicago White Sox for a long time or a series of short stays as other clubs seek his unique skills.