The Chicago White Sox have a few positional battles happening during spring training, with the bulk of the open spots on the roster being in the infield.
The White Sox have a few front-runners to be their starting third and second baseman for this season, but the battle to be the club's starting shortstop is becoming a difficult decision.
The battle for shortstop has three candidates emerging to be the starter for this season, with two names proving to be the most logical choice for the job.
Chicago White Sox lead candidate for shortstop
One big question this spring that will soon have an answer in the coming weeks is, who will the starting shortstop be for the White Sox on Opening Day? As it stands, the Sox have three players who are proving to be the lead candidates to be the guy: Colson Montgomery, Josh Rojas, and Chase Meidroth.
Montgomery is the White Sox’s fourth-ranked prospect in their system while being ranked 39th in all of Major League Baseball according to MLB Pipeline. Montgomery is considered the front-runner to win the job out of camp.
The 23-year-old has not had the best spring, slashing .111/.111/.444 for an OPS of .556 in four games this spring. The highlight for Montgomery this spring came when he launched a ball to dead center when batting against Caleb Thielbar of the Chicago Cubs.
Sadly, that’s been the only highlight for Montgomery this spring as he has been dealing with back spasms, which sidelined him for a few games before he reappeared in the lineup yesterday, where he went hitless. Montgomery is coming off his worst season in the minors, hitting .214/.329/.381, with an OPS of .710.
Montgomery luckily had an outstanding Arizona Fall League. During his time there, Montgomery hit .313/.511/.656 in 11 games.
Other options for shortstop
Outside of Montgomery, the Sox have two other options which could either be the starting shortstop or a platoon option. Other options available are veteran utility man Josh Rojas and Chase Meidroth, the No. 8 overall prospect in the organization.
Rojas was signed this offseason to a one-year deal to give the Sox more of a veteran presence on the team, given they’re so young. The 30-year-old spent his 2024 season with the Seattle Mariners, where he had a down year offensively.
In 142 games, Rojas hit .225/.304/.336 for an OPS and OPS+ of .641 and 91. Primarily a third baseman, Rojas has played 44 games in his career at short, where he has a .970 fielding percentage.
Rojas probably wouldn’t be the everyday guy there, but he could provide a nice platoon option if Montgomery isn’t ready. Rojas could also be a late-inning defensive substitute if needed.
Meidroth is another name to consider for the position, as he has taken some reps there this spring. Meidroth comes into camp competing for a spot on the roster and hopefully will make his first Opening Day roster.
Meidroth is currently out with a calf strain and is day-to-day for his return. Meidroth can be a productive big leaguer, with his best skill being his ability to get on base. The question for him will be, can he hit at the Major League level?
Plenty of options
Thankfully there are plenty of options for the White Sox to choose from, and they aren’t stuck like last season, where it was just Paul DeJong being the only guy available.
Hopefully, Montgomery can stay healthy for the remainder of the spring, and perform the rest of spring training so he can finally be the guy to occupy the spot.
If not, he’ll be sent down for another season or a few months in the minors to show he will be able to hit at the Major League level.
In the meantime, if that happens, Meidroth and Rojas will have to fill in till Montgomery is ready.