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White Sox bracing for potential front office office blow amid Astros wide GM search

White Sox AGM Josh Barfield is reportedly a candidate for the Astros GM job
ByNoah Phalen
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Feb 21, 2022; Scottsdale, Ariz., U.S.; Diamondbacks farm director Josh Barfield watches during a select training camp for minor-league players not covered by the Players Association at Salt River Fields. MLB continues to be in a lockout after the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement Dec. 2. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic Baseball Diamondbacks Select Minor League Camp
Feb 21, 2022; Scottsdale, Ariz., U.S.; Diamondbacks farm director Josh Barfield watches during a select training camp for minor-league players not covered by the Players Association at Salt River Fields. MLB continues to be in a lockout after the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement Dec. 2. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic Baseball Diamondbacks Select Minor League Camp | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The MLB offseason has yet to get started with the World Series getting underway this weekend, but MLB teams in need of front office and coaching positions have already begun the process of searching. The Athletics and Orioles have already hired their new baseball operations heads, but the Houston Astros are still in the market. According to reports, the Astros are casting a wide net in their search, and among the candidates they’ve spoken to about the position is White Sox Assistant GM Josh Barfield. 

Barfield, 43, is a former player who served as the Director of Player Development for the Arizona Diamondbacks following his playing career and took over an Assistant GM role in the White Sox organization in September of 2023. In Barfield’s tenure with the White Sox, the organization has completely revamped their structure and player development system and turned from a 100-loss team to a playoff contender very quickly. Barfield’s hire away from Arizona came immediately following a season where they won 84 games, but got hot in the playoffs and reached the World Series, and he’s credited with a large role in player development from his time in Arizona. 

Josh Barfield's departure would be a big void for White Sox

Since joining the White Sox, Barfield has been instrumental in the hiring of coaches and player development staff, and he’s become known as an excellent communicator and an impressive baseball mind. His departure for a GM job would make sense, but would be a big void for the White Sox to fill. Chris Getz has shown the ability to make hires from organizations with a strong track record, so surely he’d find a great candidate to fill the role, but it would be a tough job to replicate. With the White Sox already looking to replace Amateur Scouting Director Mike Shirley after his resignation earlier this year, Barfield's departure would leave them with a second critical role to fill. 

It sounds as if the Astros are still in the preliminary phase of their GM search, and there are several other reported candidates. Plus, this isn’t the first time Barfield has had interest from another organization. At the end of 2025, reports out of Baltimore were that he’d spoken with the Orioles about their GM role, but ultimately declined because he wanted to remain in Chicago. From his perspective, there’s no harm in having those conversations, but there’s no guarantee he’d even take the job if it were offered. The players, coaches, and staff of the White Sox seem very proud of what they’re building in Chicago and that it’s finally started to pay off. Just because Houston is interested in Barfield doesn’t mean he’d be interested in them. 

The full extent of the positions the White Sox will need to fill this offseason are not yet know, but I’m fully confident that Chris Getz can make a strong hire regardless. I hope Josh Barfield remains with the White Sox this offseason, but if he doesn’t, it should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a setback.

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