White Sox avoid arbitration with Gordon Beckham, Alejandro De Aza

Second baseman Gordon Beckham and outfielder Alejandro De Aza both agreed to one-year contracts with the White Sox on Friday, avoiding arbitration.

Beckham will earn $4.175 million this season. He has one more year of arbitration remaining before becoming eligible for free agency in 2016.

De Aza's contract is for $4.25 million. He also is not eligible for free agency until 2016.

These signings were expected, and the Sox have no other arbitration-eligible players remaining.

The thing that is interesting here is that De Aza is now the highest paid outfielder on the team, but he's slated for a backup role after struggling defensively and on the basepaths during the 2013 season.

As we mentioned when Dayan Viciedo signed his one-year deal earlier this week, De Aza could be a platoon partner in left field with Viciedo. Or, one of the two players could be dealt before spring training opens. Keep in mind the Sox still have Jordan Danks hanging around on the 40-man roster, and he could be seen as a cheaper alternative to De Aza as a backup outfielder.

I personally will not be shocked if De Aza is elsewhere when the season begins.