The Chicago White Sox have hired David Keller as their new director of international scouting, as reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Keller previously worked for the New York Mets organization.
Keller will replace Marcelo Paddy, who was the head of international operations for the White Sox for the last 12 seasons.
According to an article on Keller in 2019 by the Dock Mennonite Academy, Keller started as a scout for the Mets in 2009. After working in Queens for two years, he joined the Boston Red Sox front office in 2011. He scouted in Boston for three seasons before being poached by the Miami Marlins as their director of professional scouting. He was fired after three years and rejoined the Mets scouting department after he was relieved of his duties.
Keller has been with the Mets until now and will work hand in hand with White Sox general manager Rick Hahn. Keller and Hahn have a difficult task at hand, as the White Sox have the worst record in the MLB. They are currently 36-120 and are tied with the 1962 expansion New York Mets for the most losses in a 160-plus game season with six games left to go.
The White Sox are currently devoid of elite talent, including international talent. Under previous general manager Rick Hahn, the White Sox made some big international signings like Jose Abreu and Luis Robert. However, the White Sox have collapsed after going 81-81 in 2022 following back-to-back playoff appearances. They currently rank last in the entire MLB in team OPS and 28th in team ERA.
The White Sox currently do not have a qualified batter with an OPS higher than .707 in Andrew Vaughn, and no international White Sox player is even qualified. This collapse led to the firings of former general manager Rick Hahn, team executive vice president Ken Williams last season, and manager Pedro Grifol this season.
Keller will face the task of rebuilding the White Sox from the international side and assembling his scouting staff. In addition to replacing Paddy, the White Sox also relieved five more international scouts, according to Bob Nightengale. It remains to be seen how Keller revamps the international scouting process of young talent, but he will start his task now along with Getz and the rest of the front office right before the 2024 postseason.
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Photo Credit: A view of the Chicago White Sox logo before the MLB regular season game between the Minnesota Twins at the Chicago White Sox on July 25, 2019, at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
