Former lineman Deeb signs with White Sox

Michael Deeb, who was the MVP of the independent Empire League in 2018, has signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. Photo: Empire Media, RedBirds Media

By Devon Teeple

The GM’s Perspective

Just before Christmas, the 2018 Empire League MVP, Michael Deeb signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox.

Deeb, who batted .265 in his tenure at Bethune Cookman University, came in to his own as a member of the independent Empire League’s Plattsburg RedBirds. In 44 games he hit .352 with three home runs and a league-leading 43 RBI.

This is another example as to why the Indy Leagues are fascinating. It provides opportunities for players to live out a dream, and for the select few, continue their journey in to the professional ranks. For conversation, he slugged .568 and his OBP was .427. Not too shabby!

“This is why the Empire League exists. This league is simply for players to have an opportunity to put up numbers, expose themselves and move on to reach their dream. We are not the dream, we are that stepping stone into reaching that dream, ” said Eddie Gonzalez, the Empire League’s Director of Baseball.

Prior becoming a force on the baseball field, Deeb played three years at Notre Dame (LB). Deeb was a rising redshirt sophomore who had three years of eligibility left. Ultimately, he left the Irish because of career threatening injuries. He received a medical redshirt in 2015.

Deeb will begin the season at class-A Kannapolis.