The White Sox Did It With Erick Fedde — Now They Can Do It With Cody Ponce

Not much went right for the Chicago White Sox during the 2024 season. Given their 41–121 record, that probably goes without saying. Unlike 2025, which was filled with young stars beginning to bloom and a handful of reasons for optimism despite a poor record, 2024 provided little to celebrate on the South Side.

But one of the few things that did work was the signing and development of right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde — a move that quietly became one of the best value plays in baseball.

The White Sox made waves at the 2023 winter meetings when they beat out multiple teams to sign Fedde to a two-year, $15 million deal. It wasn’t a huge number in today’s market, but for a franchise coming off a 100-loss season and known for pinching pennies in free agency, it stood out.

Fedde had washed out of the majors and rebuilt himself in the KBO. He was far from a sure thing and was the exact type of player Jerry Reinsdorf would typically turn up his nose at. But Chicago gambled and the bet paid off.

While Kyle Gibson signed for $13 million with St. Louis and posted a 4.24 ERA, and Lucas Giolito got $38.5 million over two years but never threw a pitch in 2024, Fedde turned in a 7–4 record with a 3.11 ERA for Chicago before being flipped to the Cardinals at the deadline. The Sox landed Miguel Vargas and a package of prospects in return — a perfect example of how smart reclamation projects can yield serious value.

The Fedde signing was spearheaded by Brian Bannister, the White Sox’s director of pitching.

Bannister, who once helped reshape Logan Webb’s career in San Francisco, has built a reputation for blending analytics, biomechanics, and individualized pitch design to unlock pitchers’ potential. His reputation is spreading — and it’s part of why the Sox were even able to lure Fedde away from bigger-spending teams like the Mets.

Now, the organization might have another chance to strike gold.

Enter Cody Ponce.

Ponce, 31, is a right-hander who spent last season dominating the KBO. He went 17–1 with a 1.89 ERA, winning the league’s pitching triple crown and posting a 30.3 K-BB% across 180.2 innings. It’s an eye-popping turnaround for a pitcher who once owned a 5.86 ERA in two brief MLB seasons.

Much like Fedde before him, Ponce found success by adding a new weapon — a devastating changeup that’s quickly become his out pitch — while also ticking up his fastball velocity.

Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) on X Cody Ponce dominated KBO this season, posting a 30.3 K-BB% across 180.2 IP and winning the triple crown. Since his last MLB outing (PIT, 2021), he has seen a +2 MPH uptick on his fastball and transformed his changeup into an elite offering. He is a pending free agent this winter.

If Bannister, new pitching coach Zach Bove, and the White Sox front office like the player profile, this could be a perfect fit. A two- or three-year deal in the Fedde price range could give Chicago another discounted rotation addition with real upside — and, if things break right, another valuable trade chip down the line.

Based on the comments Chris Getz recently made, the White Sox don't seem poised for a big offseason. They'll likely look for the best value finds on the market and try to add a few veteran on one- or two-year deals. 

As the Fedde experiment proved, finding the right project pitcher doesn’t just improve your rotation. It can reshape your entire roster strategy.