Former Red Sox outfield prospect Albertson Asigen signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Saturday, per MiLB.com’s transactions log. He has been assigned to Chicago’s Low-A affiliate in Kannapolis, N.C.
Asigen, 22, was released on Wednesday as part of a larger series of minor-league cuts made by the Red Sox. The Dominican Republic native originally signed with Boston for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Puerto Plata in October 2019.
Because the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor-league season, Asigen did not make his professional debut until July 2021. He spent the first two years of his pro career in the Dominican Summer League, batting .297/.397/.402 with seven doubles, seven triples, two home runs, 39 RBIs, 56 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 42 walks, and 55 strikeouts over 77 total games spanning 310 plate appearances.
Last June, Asigen made the jump stateside by opening his 2023 campaign in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. The right-handed hitter appeared in 14 games for Boston’s Fort Myers-based affiliate, going 14-for-42 (.333) with two doubles, one triple, five RBIs, 12 runs scored, seven stolen bases, six walks, and five strikeouts before receiving a promotion to Low-A Salem in early July.
With the Salem Red Sox, Asigen slashed .318/.436/.434 with five doubles, two triples, two homers, 12 runs driven in, 22 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 24 walks, and 42 strikeouts across 42 games (156 plate appearances). Among the 151 hitters Carolina League hitters who made at least 150 trips to the plate last year, he ranked 20th in walk rate (15.4 percent), second in batting average, third in on-base percentage, 20th in slugging percentage, 10th in OPS (.870), 22nd in speed score (7.6), first in line-drive rate (31 percent), and fourth in wRC+ (153), per FanGraphs.
On the other side of the ball, Asigen saw playing time at all three outfield positions while with Salem. The stocky, 5-foot-10, 175-pounder logged 170 innings in left, 15 innings in center, and 157 1/3 innings in right. He recorded a total of four outfield assists while committing three errors in 57 defensive chances.
Despite producing relatively strong offensive numbers last season, it is worth noting that — between the FCL and Salem — Asigen posted a .434 batting average on balls put in play, which suggests that he may have been the beneficiary of good luck throughout the year. That could have played a role in the Red Sox electing to cut Asigen, though it’s certainly possible he requested to be released in an effort to find more playing time elsewhere.
Asigen, who turns 23 in late August, was never viewed as a top Red Sox prospect but will now look to start anew as a member of the White Sox organization. The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, who also play in the Carolina League, are slated to open their season on Friday. Depending on how things shake out there, it should be interesting to see if Asigen can work his way up to High-A at some point in 2024.
(Picture of Albertson Asigen: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)
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