At this time last year, White Sox infield prospect Sam Antonacci wasn’t on anybody’s radar. The White Sox had drafted Antonacci in the fifth round a few months earlier and gotten him his first taste of pro baseball with a 23-game stint with Low-A Kannapolis to end the season. Antonacci impressed in his brief stay, but it wasn’t enough of a sample to move the needle. One year later, Antonacci has established himself as one of the top infield prospects in the White Sox system, and has begun to garner national attention. Each year, MLB Pipeline releases their top 10 prospects by position, and Antonacci’s impressive performance in 2025 earned him a spot on the Top 10 Second Base prospects list for 2026.
Antonacci began the 2025 season with High-A Winston-Salem, where he slashed .279/.425/.412 and posted an .837 OPS in 64 games. Antonacci walked 39 times and only struck out 37 times in that span. His next stop was Double-A Birmingam, where he slashed .292/.435/.381 with a .816 OPS in 49 games. The biggest knock on Antonacci is his lack of power. He’s hit just five home runs in 139 career minor league games, but he makes up for it with impressive on-base ability and a mature approach. His walk and strikeout totals are equal at 86.
Following an impressive first full season, the White Sox wanted to get Antonacci more reps, so they sent him to play in the Arizona Fall League in October, where he once again impressed. In 19 games in Arizona, Antonacci slashed ..378/.505/.541 with an OPS of 1.046. He hit three home runs in just 74 at bats, and walked 15 times, earning a spot on the Fall Stars roster alongside teammates Braden Montgomery and Hagen Smith.
Sam Antonacci is the best hitter and has the best strike-zone discipline in Chicago's system 💪 pic.twitter.com/x9NSzF5HcX
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) December 8, 2025
Antonacci will be a player to watch in 2026
He’s not yet on the 40-man roster, but Antonacci is certainly a name to keep an eye on to make his big league debut in 2026. He wasn’t ranked in the White Sox Top 30 prospects to open the 2025 season, but he finished the year ranked 11th by MLB Pipeline. MLB Pipeline has yet to release their updated top 30 prospects for 2026, but Antonacci could slot in even higher to begin the season. He’ll turn 23 in February and has already proven himself at the Double-A level, potentially earning him a spot on the Triple-A Charlotte roster to begin the season with a midseason debut in the cards.
The White Sox will likely roll out Chase Meidroth as their Opening Day second baseman, but a lack of positive progress could lead to the team trying another option at the position, and Antonacci could be the first name on the list.
As the White Sox look for another crop of young talent to reach the big league level in 2026, bigger names like Braden Montgomery, Hagen Smith, and Noah Schultz will steal the spotlight. But don’t sleep on Sam Antonacci, who’s starting to make headlines not just in Chicago, but on the national circuit.