The White Sox are getting set for an exciting 2026 season that they hope will build on the definite progress from 2025. The 2025 squad featured the arrival of several of the club’s top prospects, including Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel. Heading into 2026, the White Sox hope to continue the youth movement and bring several more prospects to the big leagues. One such prospect is IF Sam Antonacci, who is open to making a key change to fuel his promotion to the big leagues.
“Being able to have the option under my belt to just go wherever they tell me to go to,” Antonacci told FutureSox at last weekend’s Soxfest Live event. “I take a lot of pride in that. So whichever glove they need me to put on my left hand, I’ll be able to do it.”
Despite being listed on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 second-base prospects for 2026, Antonacci’s skillset has taken him all around the infield. Antonacci spent time at every infield position in 2025 and played three of the four during his 16 games in the Arizona Fall League. With the White Sox infield of Munetaka Murakami, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas likely set to begin the 2026 season, Antonacci doesn’t have a clear path to at bats. But it’s a long season and an injury at some point is likely, and Antonacci’s experience at each infield position could make him first in line for a call.
Sam Antonacci wins it for the AL!
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 10, 2025
The @whitesox No. 11 prospect laces one to left as Ryan Lasko (@Athletics) scores the winning run of the Fall Stars Game. pic.twitter.com/gUbcZY14Fa
Antonacci could consider a change to help the White Sox and himself
Another thing Antonacci could consider is moving to the outfield. He’s never played the outfield before at the professional level, but he’s athletic enough that he could give a corner outfield spot a shot. The White Sox outfield picture is quite blurry at this point, with Austin Hays and Andrew Benintendi the only outfield options and several lottery tickets like Everson Pereira, Luisangel Acuna, and Jarred Kelenic in line for significant roles. Antonacci proving himself a serviceable outfielder could immediately thrust him into the conversation for a big league role and further increase his versatility and value to the organization.
The 22 year-old has graded around average defensively in the infield, so there’s no guarantee that he’d be able to handle the outfield effectively, but it’s worth a shot in Spring Training in my opinion. Antonacci’s mature approach and contact ability should play regardless of defensive position, and the White Sox can afford to be open-minded to the different ways he can help the team in 2026.
Along with Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, and Braden Montgomery, Antonacci remains one of the top White Sox prospects in line for a 2026 debut, and the more things he’s capable of doing on the field, the more likely it is that he’ll stick.
Look for the White Sox to get creative with Antonacci and his skillset as Spring Training approaches and the 2026 White Sox prepare to take the field.