The Chicago White Sox have done an admirable job putting together a team capable of contending for the 2023 season, adding Andrew Benintendi and Mike Clevinger in an attempt to vault themselves to a postseason berth.
Last year, things did not go according to plan. From injuries to players underachieving, it's no wonder the club limped to the finish line with an 81-81 record.
So far in Spring Training, the Sox are rolling along and have been getting some impressive performances, primarily at the plate, from some unheralded names.
Multiple non-roster invitees have been lighting it up with the bat and could make contributions to the big league club down the line whether they make the Opening Day roster or not.
Here are 3 players who won't make the Opening Day roster but will be contributors in the upcoming season:
1. Victor Reyes
Victor Reyes will contribute a lot to the Chicago White Sox in 2023.
Reyes, 28, is a player the White Sox are intimately familiar with thanks to his five-year tenure on the division rival Detroit Tigers.
He is a switch hitter who can play all three outfield spots at an above-average rate, steals bases, and has some impressive gap power, even if it doesn't translate to many home runs.
In 14 spring appearances, Reyes is seven-for-26 (.269 batting average) with two doubles, one run driven in, and four walks.
While this is not earth-shattering production, he is still a big league veteran who is capable of filling in on the big league roster as a replacement for an injured and/or underperforming player.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that this White Sox outfield is highly injury prone. Luis Robert and Eloy Jiménez have both struggled mightily to stay on the field as of late, so there are certainly going to be opportunities for someone like Reyes to earn a promotion back to the majors.