Rodon could become the ace of the staff if the White Sox trade Jose Quintana.
The Quintana watch has been on since December when the White Sox unloaded Chris Sale and Adam Eaton. If he's dealt, that opens up the No. 1 starter job for Rodon, who figures to be the choice for a young rebuilding team over guys like James Shields or Derek Holland. Rodon, the third-overall draft pick in 2014, showed some improvement last season, improving his walk rate but also permitted hits at a greater rate. If the left-hander can keep his fastball from catching too much of the plate, Rodon becomes a breakout candidate for 2017.