Predicting the White Sox 26-man roster as Spring Training games get underway

The White Sox head into the 2026 season with a growing sense of optimism about the team’s direction. Early reports from camp indicate a young, excited group that believes it can take a significant step forward this season. The White Sox will get their first crack at game action this week, with the Cactus League slate set to begin this weekend. There’s a lot to be determined before the White Sox name their Opening Day roster, but in honor of games beginning, here’s my best guess at the group heading to Milwaukee on March 26th. 

Catchers (2): Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero

The catcher position seems to be set for the foreseeable future for the White Sox, with young, high-upside players in Teel and Quero each looking the part of a big league mainstay in 2025. The main question to be answered at the position is the status of Korey Lee, who is out of minor league options. The White Sox could elect to carry three catchers on the roster to provide support for their young backstops, but doing so would limit the flexibility of the team’s bench. As long as no injuries emerge in camp, I think the White Sox will roll with Teel and Quero behind the plate and attempt to pass Lee through waivers. 

Infielders (5): Muntaka Murakami, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Miguel Vargas, Lenyn Sosa

The White Sox starting infield seems largely set, with second-year players Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth up the middle and Miguel Vargas and Munetaka Murakami on the corners. Aside from the starting four, however, the picture gets a bit cloudy. Lenyn Sosa, who led the White Sox with 22 home runs last season, provides power upside but has his fair share of limitations. The White Sox acquired Curtis Mead at last year’s trade deadline and believe there’s more upside in his bat than he’s shown. Prospects Sam Antonacci and Tanner Murray provide further infield depth. 

With both Sosa and Mead out of minor league options, something has to give. I’ve long believed trading away Sosa makes sense, but a deal has yet to come to fruition, so at this point it seems like he’ll be on the roster come Opening Day. Curtis Mead may end up being the odd-man out, and his time on the South side could be short-lived. 

Outfielders (5): Andrew Benintendi, Austin Hays, Luisangel Acuna, Everson Pereira, Jarred Kelenic 

The outfield mix is perhaps the most interesting storyline to watch this spring. Veterans Andrew Benintedi and Austin Hays are locks for the White Sox roster, as is young outfielder Luisangel Acuna, who the White Sox acquired in the Luis Robert Jr. trade. The other spots seem up for grabs, with high-upside flyers in Pereira and Kelenic among the options. I give the nod to both Pereira and Kelenic over journeyman Derek Hill, who primarily functions as a defensive replacement at this stage of his career. Pereira and Kelenic would provide White Sox fans with a whole lot of untapped upside to watch this season. 

Utility (1): Brooks Baldwin

A strong second half and a move to the outfield put Brooks Baldwin firmly on the radar for a roster spot again this season. His versatility in the field and switch-hitting ability provide the White Sox with a valuable swiss-army knife. He should see the field quite a bit in 2026. 

Starting Pitchers (5): Shane Smith, Davis Martin, Anthony Kay, Sean Burke, Erick Fedde

The White Sox have something like 10 pitchers competing for rotation spots this spring, and that doesn’t include top pitching prospects Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, and Tanner McDougal. Smith and Martin are the only guaranteed returnees from last season, and veteran signings Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde are expected to be in the rotation, leaving one spot available. Sean Burke, the Opening Day starter from last season, may be the favorite. Burke was demoted after running into a rough stretch midseason but came back to the big leagues and finished strong, striking out ten in his final start of the season. A full offseason of growth could land Burke as a strong contender to be a part of the rotation moving forward. 

Relief Pitchers (8): Seranthony Dominguez (CL), Grant Taylor, Mike Vasil, Jordan Leasure, Jordan Hicks, Sean Newcomb, Tyler Gilbert, Jedixson Paez

The White Sox committed to improving a bullpen that contributed to the team losing the most one-run games in baseball last season. The team added Sean Newcomb and Seranthony Dominguez via free agency and Jordan Hicks via trade, and picked up right-handers Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto in the Rule 5 draft. Grant Taylor, Jordan Leasure, and Mike Vasil should have prominent roles after contributing heavily last season, and Tyler Gilbert is a left option without minor league options. LHPs Ryan Borucki, Chris Murphy, and Brandon Eisert could factor in, and Wikelman Gonzalez should see significant big league time at some point. But there’s a limited number of spots, and some tough decisions are likely coming.