When the White Sox traded Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets in January, the front office knew they’d have big shoes to fill. Though Robert’s career has been defined by underperformance and injuries, his impact on defense was apparent even when his bat wasn’t productive. The White Sox hoped that Luisangel Acuna, who was acquired in the same deal, would at least partially make up for the production as the immediate replacement in center field, but it’s been an unexpected contributor instead who has filled Robert’s shoes in a big way and has ended up being the hidden gem of the White Sox offseason.
Outfielder Tristan Peters hails from Canada, but played his college baseball at Southern Illinois University before being selected in the seventh round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021. Prior to being drafted, Peters famously spent time with the Savannah Bananas. After breaking into pro ball, Peters was dealt several times before finally landing in Chicago: first from Milwaukee to the Giants, then to the Rays, then finally to the White Sox for a player to be named later or cash this offseason. His numbers remained consistent as he progressed through the minor leagues, maintaining an OPS from .730-.800 in each season of his minor league career. Peters launched a career-high 15 home runs for Triple-A Durham in 2025, and the White Sox saw a fit in their outfield and pulled the trigger on a deal.
Tristan Peters has progressed from depth piece to key contributor
What started as a depth piece has turned into something more for the White Sox quickly. Peters made the Opening Day roster with a solid spring and has slowly worked his way into more playing time as the season has gone on. Peters has primarily played center field for the White Sox and has accrued 5 OAA, ranking him in the 95th percentile in baseball. He also ranks in the 88th percentile for sprint speed and has made an impact on the bases. But it’s not just speed and defense for Peters. The 26-year-old has appeared to get more comfortable at the plate as the season has progressed, and he enters Wednesday’s game hitting .293 with a .769 OPS. All of these impressive metrics combine to give Peters an fWAR of 1.5, good for fourth among White Sox position players and also fourth among AL rookies.
TRISTAN PETERS 😤@WhiteSox take the lead! pic.twitter.com/0FB2XBgSsl
— MLB (@MLB) May 17, 2026
If there’s any aspect of his game that still needs work it’s making hard contact more consistently. Peters has hit just two home runs despite reaching double digits in each of the last two seasons in the minors, and hit hard-hit percentage ranks in the bottom five percent in the league. If the White Sox can work with Peters on his bat speed and barreling the ball more consistently, he can legitimately give the team four plus tools.
I doubt too many White Sox fans expected this much production when the White Sox acquired Peters during the offseason, but he’s quietly been one of the best moves Chris Getz made this winter. At the end of the offseason, I ranked the White Sox moves, and I didn't even include Peters on the list. The White Sox hitting staff and player development deserve credit for not only identifying Peters as a target, but turning him into a player on pace for a 4 fWAR season. Hopefully, he’ll sustain his early production and his impact will be felt by the White Sox all season long.
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