White Sox fans received some stunning news on the minor league front this weekend. The team announced prior to Saturday’s game that Amateur Scouting Director Mike Shirley had resigned from his position and was no longer with the team. It was news that came out of left field for fans, who have seen Mike Shirley’s first-round picks experience varying degrees of success over the past few seasons. The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli later provided context for the news, indicating that Shirley resigned amid an internal investigation into accusations of verbal harassment.
NEWS: Chicago White Sox amateur scouting director Mike Shirley resigned on Saturday amid an internal investigation into allegations of verbal harassment.https://t.co/N7leXjpOJz
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) September 13, 2026
According to Ghiroli’s article, Shirley is accused of making inappropriate racial and sexist comments to and around coworkers. After an anonymous tip landed him on administrative leave in August, the team’s HR department conducted an investigation that ultimately led to Shirley’s resignation.
The White Sox were clearly happy with Shirley’s work as amateur scouting director, a position he held since 2020. Among his first round picks were Garrett Crochet, Colson Montgomery, Hagen Smith, Noah Schultz, and most recently Roch Cholowsky. He had reportedly signed a contract extension recently prior to the latest investigation.
Chris Getz's quote casts uncertainty on White Sox's scouting future
White Sox GM Chris Getz, who traveled to Cleveland for the huge series between the White Sox and Guardians this week, would not comment on the circumstances of Shirley’s resignation, but spoke on the future of the White Sox scouting department.
“We’re looking at a lot of different ways and we’ve been doing that for a while– not just a clear restructure– of conducting business on that front,” Getz said. “In the meantime, we’re not going with an interim. We’re going to map out where we see the future is on the scouting front in all areas. Once that’s mapped out, we’ll figure out what the needs are for the organization. If that means you’re going outside of the organization, so be it”
The White Sox have made massive strides in the scouting and development departments over the past few years, and Shirley’s approach to drafts is part of the reason why. Every one of his first round picks was either a left-handed pitcher or a shortstop, showing the White Sox’ recent emphasis on premium positions. That’s not a philosophy I expect to change with someone new in charge. Shirley has been in the organization since 2000 and rose through the ranks, but was not put into his position by current general manager Chris Getz. While the circumstances of his departure aren’t great, it’ll give Getz an opportunity to continue to implement his vision for the team’s front office.
Whether the White Sox hire a direct replacement for Shirley or do a bit of department restructuring remains to be seen. Should they look for a replacement on the outside, keep an eye on organizations like Baltimore, Milwaukee, and Tampa Bay, where the White Sox have hired staff from in the past.
No matter the decision from the front office about specific structure, the White Sox approach to amateur scouting is certain to look different over the next few years. Hopefully, the changes are positive and the White Sox continue on their desired path to becoming a premiere organization for scouting and player development.
Add us as a preferred source on Google