Bullpen
Justin Anderson, Tyler Gilbert, Mike Clevinger, Bryse Wilson, Cam Booser, Penn Murfee, Shane Smith, and Gus Varland
Manager Will Venable is not ready to officially name a closer despite Mike Clevinger talking like he will take the ball in the ninth. Despite his character flaws and injury history, Clevinger has pitched well enough this spring to earn a roster spot to see what he can do in a high-leverage situation.
Smith is here only as a placeholder until Venable figures out who will be the fifth starter. Smith must stay on the roster since he was the first pick in the Rule 5 Draft. Therefore, coming out of the bullpen in long relief to stay stretched out is where he should start the season.
Otherwise, expect the White Sox to go with the veteran bullpen arms with the hope they are effective enough to be flipped by the trade deadline.
Fraser Ellard and Jordan Leasure could make better cases to be on the Opening Day roster than Gus Varland and Tyler Gilbert. Varland has had a shaky spring and Gilbert has been up-and-down too. However, Varland showed promise as a high-leverage reliever during his cameo last season.
Gilbert does have a minor-league option left but he can fill a swing role from the left side much like Wilson can from the right.
Therefore, with Ellard and Leasure still having minor-league options, it makes sense to stash them in Charlotte and bring them up if one of these pitchers struggles out of the gate or after the trade deadline when hopefully someone like Murfee is good enough to be dealt.
Catcher
Korey Lee and Matt Thaiss
Top catching prospects Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero will eventually take this position over at some point this season. However, they have been sent down to minor-league camp to get some development at-bats. Preferably Teel also gets some reps in the outfield and Quero gets some work at first base and DH.
The team will want both of their bats in the lineup every day so other positional work is needed to accommodate that. Better to do that at Triple-A.
Until then, Lee and Thaiss can man this position professionally. There is an outside chance veteran Omar Narváez still beats out Thaiss based on his prior work with bench coach and catching guru Walker McKinven.
However, Thaiss is having the better spring and can be a left-handed bat off the bench.