Spring training has done a number on the Chicago White Sox.
The roster continues to dwindle as Opening Day approaches. Recently, Joey Gallo was cut, Kyle Teel was sent back to the minors, and Josh Rojas has a hairline fractured toe. Although the roster looks thin, several players have stepped up to the plate.
Here are four players who have done well during spring training and will be looked upon to play a big part in the Sox’s 2025 season...
Brandon Drury
The Sox need to recuperate the power they lost from optioning Colson Montgomery to Triple-A, and Drury can provide that.
Drury is slashing .410/.439/.821 with 11 RBIs and three home runs this spring. Entering camp as a non-roster invite, expectations were low for him to make the team. But with Chase Meidroth and Brooks Baldwin struggling offensively, Drury’s name has floated to the top of the infield starters list.
Although Rojas might get the starting job when he recovers, Drury will be an essential member of the second base platoon this season.
Although his performance dipped last year due to wrist and hamstring injuries and mechanical problems, Drury has shaken the dust off and looks arguably better than his old self. He’s making the second base starting job a much tighter race than at the beginning of spring training.
Luis Robert Jr.
Robert’s importance to the Sox can’t be understated.
His 2022 production has returned this spring, and he looks as healthy as ever. Robert has invigorated the lineup with his .273/.400/.485 slash line, often providing early scoring opportunities for the Sox. His defense has been perfect and his presence on the field exudes a certain confidence the team misses without him.
Trade discussions aside, Robert is perhaps the most valuable member of the Sox team. He has been on the team the longest and he knows his role on the team. Spring training has only solidified his worth to the franchise. The better he plays, the further he ingratiates himself into the Sox.
Lenyn Sosa
Like Drury, Sosa will play a big part in manager Will Venable’s infield strategy.
Although he doesn’t have astronomically high batting statistics, he has found success no matter where he hits in the lineup. Sosa has a .281 batting average with six RBIs and four walks. His ability to slap the ball into gaps and above-average defensive versatility make Sosa an ideal infielder to start the season.
Sosa’s value continues to climb for the same reason Drury’s does. As prospects continue to be optioned to the Minor Leagues and veterans progressively get injured, Sosa’s chances of becoming an infield staple increase. And if Miguel Vargas gets injured or suddenly can’t hit anymore, Sosa should be next in line for the third base starting job.
Miguel Vargas
Vargas has emerged as one of the most reliable bats in the Sox’s lineup during spring training.
He has a .355 batting average and five RBIs. His defense tightened up, too, before and after Venable tabbed him as the starting third baseman. As one of the few young infielders on the team who is guaranteed a roster spot, the Sox’s reliance on Vargas has grown significantly.
With shortstop and second base still being decided and Andrew Vaughn at first base (who won’t be a breakout player this year), the Sox need a stable infielder now more than ever. Perhaps the new director of hitting Ryan Fuller is already making his mark on the team, or maybe it’s the 20 pounds of muscle put on during the offseason. Either way, Vargas’ improvement from last year is better late than never.