'Time and experience': How Korey Lee's time with the Astros guides him through first Sox spring training

White Sox catcher Korey Lee is a rarity among young players. At 24 years old, Lee already has a 2022 World Series ring, but he’s still trying to prove he can be a viable major-league player.

Lee, once billed as the Astros' catcher of the future, was sent to the Sox in July as part of the Kendall Graveman trade. Lee — a former first-round pick — said he still remembers the lessons he learned during his brief tenure with the Astros.

“They taught me how to be professional," Lee told the Sun-Times. "You got guys over there who have been in the league for 10-plus years. Seeing that as a rookie was incredible: the daily preparation, the daily work, the off-the-field stuff, and obviously that affects things on the field.”

Lee was once the crown jewel of the Astros’ farm system. That was a by-product of his own talent and the system's dearth of high-end prospects after years of deep playoff runs and packaging young players in trades.

“I got spoiled for the last five years when I was over there and got taught a lot," Lee said.

Lee has shown he can hit: He slashed .278/.325/.386 across 82 Triple-A games. Lee also struck out 30 fewer times than he did in 2022. Lee knows he needs to improve upon his 5-for-65 showing at the plate in his Sox tenure last season, but being a major-league catcher is about more than just being a quality hitter and having a strong arm.

It’s about handling a staff, building a rapport with pitchers and executing game calls. Pitchers and catchers are intertwined, almost mind-melding into one brain, knowing what the other is thinking without saying words.

“Honestly, both of them do such a good job of communicating,” Soroka said of working with catchers Max Stassi and Martin Maldonado. “One of the only things I ask — I’m kind of stubborn about it — I like a catcher that talks with me,” veteran right-hander Mike Soroka said. “ You get to the point where you know what they're trying to say to you by a look.

There’s no greater example of a catcher garnering respect for his defense and managing a pitching staff than his teammate Martin Maldonado. Maldonado finished in the 75th percentile in blocks above average last season and 70th in pop time. His value comes from his accord with pitchers.

“It's incredible,” Lee said of working with the veteran catcher. It's his everyday life, man, and he makes it look easy.”

In addition to Maldonado, Lee has been working with Sox coach Drew Butera on the finer points of catching.

“We're talking about setups, positioning, sequences and just putting my pitcher in the best spot to have success,” Lee said.

Lee has taken it upon himself to connect with the pitchers this spring training. Though he works with numerous pitchers, he’s still trying to acclimate with the staff. He said he’s been hanging by the cages conversing with pitchers, trying to get to know them and what they’re about.

“It’s about sticking with the pitcher's strengths and making them feel confident, knowing they're the best pitcher out there,” Lee said.

Lee survived the first round of spring cuts, but it’s unknown if he will stick on the major-league roster come opening day. Catching is an inexact science. It’s just as mental as it is physical, and progression isn’t linear.

“It's just a lot of work trying to catch and adjusting to the big leagues,” Stassi said. It just takes time. That's really the main thing: time and experience.”