Soto hit .190/.271/.405 line in 13 games with the White Sox before elbow surgery ended his season in mid-May. He'll look to catch on elsewhere as catching depth, though he'll need to prove he's healthy before doing so. His recent injury issues could force him to settle for a minor-league deal.

Soto said he's 100 percent recovered from the procedure and has been rehabbing in Chicago so he can serve as a mentor to the team's relatively inexperienced healthy backstops, Omar Narvaez and Kevan Smith. Even so, it's unclear how close Soto is to playing in games, and with the minor-league schedule set to end shortly, Soto could be forced to pick up at-bats in simulated games if the White Sox are serious about activating him before season's end. If he doesn't return in 2017, the 34-year-old Soto, who will be a free agent this winter, said he fully intends to keep playing next season.

Although the issue was initially tabbed as a bout of elbow inflammation, it seems that the ailment at hand is much worse than that, ultimately leading the veteran backstop to head under the knife. The White Sox anticipate Soto to be out for at least 12 weeks, which would put his return date sometime in August at the earliest. Expect Omar Narvaez and Kevan Smith to shoulder the load behind the plate until Soto returns.

Soto was placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday after experiencing a recurrence of loose bodies in the elbow, the same issue that resulted in a trip to the DL in mid-April. The White Sox are still assessing treatment methods for Soto, but if surgery is ultimately deemed the best solution, the veteran backstop could be in store for an extended absence. While Soto is out, Omar Narvaez figures to serve as the team's regular catcher.