The White Sox came into the offseason with many unanswered questions. Despite a 19-game improvement in 2025 and the arrival of promising young talent, the team had an incomplete roster with areas in definite need of an upgrade. The White Sox have added major-league free agents to address needs in the starting rotation, first base, and the bullpen. With questions still remaining about the outfield and the pitching staff, the White Sox may be choosing to answer one of them in an unconventional way.
The White Sox acquired OF Everson Pereira in a November trade that sent right-handers Steven Wilson and Yoendrys Gomez to the Rays. Pereira, 24 is a right-handed outfielder who’s spent 50 games in the big leagues with the Yankees and Rays. A former top-100 prospect, Pereira features big power and solid defense, with questions about whether he’ll make enough contact to stick at the big league level. In addition, the White Sox recently agreed to a minor league deal with OF Jarred Kelenic. The 26 year-old is a former top ten pick and top ten prospect who’s struggled to catch on at the major league level. Kelenic hits from the left side and demonstrates a similar big-power, low-contact profile to Pereira. The White Sox may be preparing to roll with these two in a platoon situation in right field to start the season.
With the outfield market depleted in free agency and top prospect Braden Montgomery waiting in the wings, the White Sox may elect for a placeholder to keep the position warm. In Pereira and Kelenic, the team would get an upside that doesn’t exist in a veteran such as Mike Tauchman or Michael Conforto. Both Pereira and Kelenic have experience in all three outfield positions, so Montgomery’s arrival could simply push them to a different outfield spot. Andrew Benintendi’s defense in left field has declined, and the team would benefit from moving him to a DH role. Luis Robert Jr’s status is uncertain, though he’s likely to begin the year on the team at this point. If one or both of Kelenic and Pereira play well enough to warrant continued at bats, the White Sox can easily find a spot for them.
A low-risk, high-reward plan for the White Sox outfield
In a season with no expectations of contention, there’s very little downside to taking a swing. Should both players fail to pan out, the White Sox are in a very similar position next year and can address the outfield in free agency or via trade. White Sox fans are used to these types of moves crashing and burning, but the team has revamped their infrastructure and player development systems in recent years, so there’s reason for optimism. In Kelenic especially, the White Sox are adding a local product that the team has scouted for a while and is confident they can fix. Ryan Fuller has already demonstrated the ability to turn struggling top prospects into productive big leaguers, and both players are still young enough to turn things around.
Clutch Kelenic 💪 pic.twitter.com/PmLLxnucsU
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 26, 2021
Heading into spring training with Kelenic and Pereira penciled into right field is a risky decision, and the White Sox may choose to add another outfielder as an insurance policy, but it’s perhaps the most interesting option that a young, rebuilding team could consider. A lineup with Pereira/Kelenic is certainly more intriguing to watch than the Jake Amaya, Vinny Capra, Michael A. Taylor lineups of the past year.
It’s far from a sure thing, but it’s a fun upside swing for a White Sox team that can afford to take such a chance. There’s a real chance that neither player pans out and the White Sox are forced to go back to the drawing board. But they’ll never know unless they try, and they could just strike gold.