The White Sox have continued to add depth to the roster in the wake of the Luis Robert Jr. trade, this time adding an infielder with a famous bloodline. The South Siders are reportedly adding 2B Darren Baker on a minor league deal as they look to bolster their infield mix. Former Chicago Tribune reporter Mark Gonzales was the first to indicate a deal between the two sides was close.
Hearing Darren Baker is close to a minor league agreement with the @whitesox
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) January 23, 2026
Baker, soon-to-be 26, is perhaps best known as the son of longtime MLB manager Dusty Baker. Originally a 10th-round pick by the Washington Nationals in 2021, Baker spent four seasons in the minor leagues before making his big league debut for the Nationals in 2024. He went 7-for-14 with a pair of doubles and a run scored in his brief big league stint, but did not make the Nationals roster in 2025 and spent the entire season with Triple-A Rochester. He was granted his release following the 2025 season. Known for his speed and defense, Baker posted modest offensive numbers throughout his minor league career, consistently hitting over .280 but struggling to maintain any kind of power production. He’s highly unlikely to make the White Sox roster but will serve as extra depth in the infield.
The White Sox latest addition comes from a talented bloodline
Darren’s father, Dusty, spent 26 seasons in Major League Baseball as a manager, including stints with five teams. Over his illustrious career, Baker won ten division titles and made 13 total playoff appearances. He finally got over the hump and won the World Series in 2022 as the manager of the Houston Astros. He won the Manager of the Year award three times, and has joined an elite group of 13 managers with more than 2,000 career wins. Baker retired from managing following the 2023 season, but recently announced that he’ll be returning to manage Team Nicaragua in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He will be a likely candidate to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in the near future.
While there’s no clear path to playing time for Darren Baker on the White Sox, the baseball season is long and injuries happen. A couple key injuries on the infield could lead to him getting a shot in Chicago. While there’s zero chance he can sustain his .500 career batting average and 1.143 career OPS, Baker has demonstrated solid contact ability in the minor leagues and those skills could reasonably translate to the Major League level. He’ll be worth keeping an eye on in Charlotte.
The White Sox are likely to add more talent to their Major League roster, but they’re also likely to continue adding to their minor league depth. Last season, players like Travis Jankowski, Omar Narvaez, Dan Altavilla, and Joshua Palacios ultimately made a big league impact after signing minor league deals with the White Sox.
We may or may not see Baker in Chicago this season, but he’s worth adding to the list of players to watch in 2026.