5 burning questions as the White Sox enter Spring Training

As the White Sox players, coaches, and staff head to Arizona to get started on the 2026 season, the general vibe around the team is one of optimism and excitement. The White Sox played a strong second half of baseball last season thanks to the emergence of several key contributors, and the organization believes a similar step forward is imminent in 2026. Still, many questions surround the White Sox roster as Spring Training begins. Here are five of the most pressing questions. 

1. Who will be the first White Sox prospect to debut in Chicago in 2026? 

The White Sox head into 2026 having debuted several top prospects a season ago, and the team figures to have more on the way. Top left-handed pitchers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith were invited to big league camp for the second straight year, though White Sox manager Will Venable has already indicated that they will not be on the team’s Opening Day roster. Both are expected to debut in 2026 though, and will look to bounce-back from a disappointing 2025 season. 

For Schultz, it’s about staying healthy, while the focus for Smith is on harnessing his electric stuff. Outfielder Braden Montgomery is also in big league Spring Training, though White Sox GM Chris Getz indicated earlier this offseason that he won’t be on the Opening Day roster. Regardless, a strong spring from any of these three will begin a short countdown to their debut at some point this season. 

2. How will Anthony Kay and Munetaka Murakami transition from Japan to Chicago? 

Left-hander Anthony Kay and 1B Munetaka Murakami were two of the more significant additions for the White Sox this offseason. Both players spent the 2025 season overseas in Japan and made the transition to the states this season. For Kay, it’s a return to MLB after an extended stint overseas, while Murakami will be making his stateside debut after being one of the most prolific sluggers in Japan over the past few years. 

Both players will have a transition to make as they head to the US. Pitchers in the NPB in Japan typically work on a seven-day rotation, so Kay will need to work on transitioning back to the typical five-man style of MLB. Murakami hasn’t faced a ton of MLB caliber pitching, particularly velocity, so he’ll need to focus on making that transition. For both players, it’ll begin this spring in Arizona. 

3. Will any of the White Sox reclamation projects earn a roster spot?

Several of the additions to the White Sox roster are young, high-upside players that have either struggled or haven’t gotten a regular role at the MLB level. Additions like Jarred Kelenic, Everson Pereira, and Luisangel Acuna fall into this category, and each of them should have a fair shot at making the big league roster. Barring injuries, it’ll be difficult to keep all of them, so I’m curious to see if anyone puts together a strong spring and earns their way onto the roster. 

Spring statistics don’t always carry over to the regular season though. White Sox infielder Curtis Mead famously slashed .524/.608/.619 with a 1.227 OPS during last year’s spring training as a member of the Rays, but Mead posted just a .620 OPS at the big league level during the regular season. Still, a strong spring for a player on the roster bubble could be the deciding factor. Speaking of Curtis Mead, that leads us into our next question…

4. Will the White Sox trade an infielder before Opening Day? 

The White Sox starting infield seems just about set, with Murakami, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas in line for the regular reps. Between Andrew Benintendi and their two catchers, the White Sox don’t have a ton of available DH reps to give, and they also have Lenyn Sosa and Curtis Mead still on the roster. Both players are out of minor league options, so it seems likely the White Sox could look to trade one of them before games get underway at the end of March. Neither one would figure to bring back a huge return, but it could help clear a logjam in the infield. I’d argue that Sosa, who struggles on defense and doesn’t take walks, should be moved, and the White Sox should give Mead another look. 

5. Will either of the White Sox Rule 5 picks make the roster? 

The White Sox added Shane Smith through the Rule 5 draft last season and added fellow Rule 5 pick Mike Vasil on a waiver claim. Both players had major impacts on the 2025 team and seem to be major pieces of the pitching staff moving forward. This offseason, the White Sox took two shots in Rule 5, adding RHP Jedixson Paez from the Red Sox and RHP Alexander Alberto from the Rays in the draft.

 It’s somewhat of a heat check for the White Sox, as neither pitcher has thrown above High-A and will need to remain on the big league roster for the entire season or be offered back to their previous team. Paez looks the part of a long-term starter, but the White Sox rotation seems to be set, while Alberto is older and could be a late-inning reliever. Neither are guarantees to make the roster, but the White Sox seemed happy with the picks, so I’ll be keeping an eye on both this Spring to see what the plan is.