White Sox face impossible roster decision with strong catching group

Having too much talent on a big-league roster is a good problem to have. That's exactly where the White Sox find themselves at the catching position as we move into the 2026 season. With Spring Training in the early stages of beginning, media coverage around the league is picking up, and many general managers are hosting press conferences and speaking on the state of their teams.

This was no different for White Sox GM Chris Getz. The White Sox 40-man roster currently holds three catchers, each talented in their own right. But with two younger catchers in Kyle Teel, and Edgar Quero, and the veteran Korey Lee out of minor league options, a decision will need to be made. In his media session on the eve of Spring Training, Getz was asked how he'd handle the inevitable situation moving forward.

“We’ll continue to discuss it," Getz said. "Nothing’s definitive at this time. Obviously, we’ve got to work through spring training. A lot of things can happen. We’re fortunate to have a plethora of catchers that we feel like are major league capable and can be impactful. So we feel like we’ve developed a strength in that area, but we haven’t determined on how we’re going to utilize a 26-man roster quite yet.”

A roster strength will cause a difficult decision

Getz has been the White Sox GM since late in 2023, and he served as the Director of Player Development before being elevated to assistant GM. Needless to say, Getz has had a hand in the selection and development of the White Sox players for the greater part of a decade. This is both a strength and weakness, because that means two things: Getz has familiarity with the White Sox and how they function, but it also means he had a role in bringing one of the lowest lows in the history of baseball to Chicago. It's clear, however, that things have been run differently since Getz took over in the primary baseball role. The catcher position has clearly been a focus for the organization

This type of depth didn't happen by accident. And the White Sox have a few options. They could keep three catchers on the roster, making it easier to comfortably play Teel and Quero in the same lineup but limiting the flexiblity of their bench. Alternatively, they could DFA or trade Korey Lee, giving them the extra roster flexiblity but thinning out the organizational depth at the catcher position. The third and most unlikely option would be a trade of Edgar Quero, who has garnered interest this offseason. A trade of that magnitude would be hard to pull off at this late-stage, so it's highly unlikely.

Given Getz's experience with player development, he should be the trusted guy to make these sort of decisions, but a call like this isn't easy to make. With only a 26 man roster to work with, unfortunately, someone will likely need to be cut, sent down to Charlotte, or traded.

Spring Training is sure to answer many questions, but the core question about organizational intent looms over everything else. If the White Sox are certain of their future with their young players, it may be time to see what the open market has to say about Korey Lee. If they have three catchers on the roster come opening day, that could signal an intent to see both Teel and Quero in the lineup frequently this season. Either way, this is sure to be a meaningful decision that could have season-long consequences.