27 September 2023
Josh Barfield had a decision to make.
He could remain with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team he helped build into a playoff contender. Or he could accept a new challenge with the Chicago White Sox.
A sign came in the form of the car in front of him while sitting at a light with his wife and daughter. They saw a license plate with “SOX 29.” Barfield and his father, Jesse, wore No. 29 in the majors.
“We were like, ‘This was meant to be,’ ” Barfield said.
The Sox on Friday announced Barfield’s addition as assistant general manager.
“It came out of nowhere,” Barfield said before Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks at Guaranteed Rate Field. “I’ve been in Arizona for the last nine years. I was really happy there. We were doing a lot of good things. We were so engulfed in trying to make the playoffs that when I received the phone call the White Sox asked for permission, I don’t think it was something on the forefront of my mind.
“But the more I got to know the people here, got to know (general manager) Chris (Getz) — (I) played against him but didn’t really know him well — getting to spend time with him and hearing his vision. Seeing all the pieces that were here, seeing the division that we are in and the opportunity, it was too good to pass up.”
Barfield, 40, joined the Sox after spending the last four seasons as director of player development with the Diamondbacks. He also was the organization’s assistant director of player development from 2018-19 and worked in scouting from 2015-17.
“Josh is a very talented, hardworking, respected person in our game,” Getz said. “He’s done a lot with the D-Backs. You look at their roster, they’ve got a lot of young players who have come through their system. Having discussions with him about what they’ve done as an organization the last couple years, from some struggles to getting a taste of success in a playoff hunt here, there’s been a lot of deep takeaways that I think can apply to our situation.
“Josh has a bright future. He’s a connector of people. He’s going to energize our group, he already has. I feel fortunate for him to come aboard.”
The Sox got a close look at some of the talented players who navigated through that system Tuesday in the opener of the three-game series.
“It was a weird feeling (Tuesday) watching that game,” Barfield said. “I’m on this side and obviously really excited about what we are doing here, but to see finished products on the field from guys I had when they 16, 17 years old and seeing where they were then to where they are now and where the organization kind of was a few years ago to where they are now, it’s exciting and gives a lot of hope and optimism here.”
Barfield anticipates being involved “in a lot of different areas.”
“Especially early on on the player development side,” he said. “That’s where I have the most experience and bring a different perspective. Chris has done a great job on the PD side here. I learned a little bit different perspective.
“We’ll still hire a farm director, but I’ll still be heavily involved, especially early on, in that side. As we get into the offseason with roster construction and player acquisition, I’ll be involved in that as well.”
Barfield appeared in 309 games over four major-league seasons with San Diego (2006) and Cleveland (2007-09) after being selected by the Padres in the fourth round of the 2001 draft.
“We are all a byproduct of our experience,” he said. “I can relate to a lot of things these guys have gone through. I’ve been a prospect coming up, I’ve been in the big leagues, I’ve been the guy who is grinding in the minor leagues on the way down too. I experienced a lot of different aspects of it. So you keep that.
“At the same time … you understand how it works on this side. I think it helps. There is a human element, too, as much as there is and we believe in the data and the analytics. But I also think of the human element when you are making decisions is important.”
Barfield’s father played 12 seasons in the majors and is from Joliet.
“He was so excited,” Josh said of Jesse. “This is home. He moved away when he was 17 after he got drafted. His whole family moved to Houston, and that’s where I grew up. This is his favorite team growing up. Across the street (at Comiskey Park) was where he watched a lot of games as a kid and also played his first game in the big leagues.
“This place means a lot to him and our family.”
()