White Sox fans must take notice of most underrated outfield option for 2026

White Sox fans glancing at the club’s current roster would notice a team with a plethora of young talent but several questions about how it’ll all come together. While the infield and bullpen are rounding into form, the outfield and starting rotation are more of a mystery. The competition for the White Sox outfield has been one of the main events of camp so far, with young players like Everson Pereira and Jarred Kelenic trying to win significant roles on a roster that also contains a few veterans like Austin Hays and Andrew Benintendi. Brooks Baldwin is often overlooked when examining the White Sox roster, but his strong second half to 2025 should land him squarely in the mix. 

The White Sox drafted Brooks Baldwin in the 12th round back in 2022 out of Coastal Carolina University. Primarily a shortstop in college, Baldwin posted strong offensive numbers while demonstrating positional versatility during his first full minor league season in 2023. He opened 2024 with Double-A Birmingham, where he slashed .322/.386/.441 with an .827 OPS  in 74 games before a promotion to Triple-A Charlotte. Baldwin didn’t stay in Charlotte long, playing just eight games at the level before making his big league debut in July. 

Baldwin scuffled in his first big league stint, posting an OPS of just .566 in 33 games. He made the Opening Day roster. On May 18th, Baldwin was slashing .215/.257/.331 and was optioned to Charlotte. Baldwin went on a tear in Charlotte during his demotion, launching 12 home runs in 25 games and posting a 1.179 OPS. He briefly came back to the majors in June before coming up for good on July 1st. 

Brooks Baldwin showed offensive promise during the second half of 2025

It really was a tale of two halves for Baldwin, who looked like a different hitter when he came back to the big leagues. He hit .243 in July, .270 in August, and .268 in September, looking much more comfortable at the plate. Baldwin hit 11 total home runs at the big league level, giving him 23 for the season between Charlotte and Chicago, a significant total for a player not known as a power hitter. 

Baldwin has played just about every position on the field during his big league career, and the White Sox seem to prefer him in the outfield. He enters camp with a strong chance at making the White Sox roster and even earning regular at bats in the outfield. His switch-hitting ability and defensive versatility are valuable enough on their own, but Baldwin showed legitimate offensive upside during the second half last season. His home run in Saturday’s Cactus League game against the Cubs got him off to a strong start this season. The only thing, in my opinion, that would work against Baldwin this spring is the fact that he still has minor league options while players like Pereira and Derek Hill do not. 

If Baldwin, a 12th round pick, can turn himself into a productive big league player, it will certainly go down as a massive victory for White Sox player development. While Pereira, Kelenic, and Acuna may dominate the conversation when it comes to the White Sox outfield mix, I’d encourage fans to pay attention to Brooks Baldwin, who could be the next breakout player on the south side.