Every year, Major League Baseball gives teams the opportunity to expand their rosters from 26 to 28 for the month of September.
For some, the expanded rosters serve as a sort of audition for the postseason roster, but for others, it’s about giving young players a taste of the big leagues as they look to win a roster spot for the following season.
The White Sox have elected to add left-handed pitcher Fraser Ellard and infielder Bryan Ramos to their active roster to close out the season.
LHP Fraser Ellard
The White Sox originally drafted Fraser Ellard in the 8th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Liberty University.
Despite decent stuff, Ellard never really put up impressive numbers in the minor leagues. But he moved quickly through the system anyway and ultimately made his big league debut in 2024.
Ellard was serviceable down the stretch, posting a 3.75 ERA in 25 games in the White Sox bullpen. His contributions were enough to earn him a spot on the Opening Day roster in 2025, but he struggled in his first few appearances, and a hamstring strain landed him on the IL.
When healthy, Ellard has mostly pitched at Triple-A this season, where his 6.48 ERA in 23 games isn’t exactly turning heads. Still, the White Sox elected to bring Ellard back to the big leagues instead of taking a chance on a different young pitcher.
INF Bryan Ramos
Bryan Ramos was originally signed out of Cuba back in 2019 when he was just 16 years old. Having risen through the organization all the way from the Arizona Rookie League, Ramos seemed on track to be a massive International scouting win for the White Sox.
Ramos was once the No. 3 prospect in the organization, and he made his MLB in 2024, where he started off hot before pitchers began to catch on.
Ultimately, Ramos hit .202 with three home runs before being optioned back to Charlotte. The White Sox hoped he’d force his way back onto the team in due time, but his struggles have continued ever since.
After battling injuries the past couple seasons, and another one that wiped out most of his Spring Training, Ramos began the year at Charlotte and has yet to consistently put together good numbers at the level.
In 95 games in Triple-A this season, Ramos is hitting .218 with 14 home runs, good for a .708 OPS. With a crowded infield mix that’ll get even more crowded when Miguel Vargas returns in a week or two, there doesn’t seem to be a clear path to playing time for Ramos, so the decision to add him to the roster is fairly compelling.
The White Sox missed a chance to add a young pitcher
The White Sox are the second-worst team in baseball this season, and there is no reason the September roster spots shouldn’t be filled by young pitchers who deserve a look at a higher level.
With Peyton Pallette, Shane Murphy, Tanner McDougal, and Tyler Schweitzer all eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this offseason, the White Sox will need to add them to the 40-man roster by December, or they risk losing them.
September roster expansions would’ve been the perfect opportunity to get a couple of those young pitchers on the active roster to see what they can do against competition of the highest level.
If they struggle, that’s okay, because wins and losses don’t matter at this point in the season. I’m not sure I understand the decision to give the roster spots to a struggling 27 -year-old reliever and an inconsistent infielder without a path for playing time.
Maybe Bryan Ramos and Fraser Ellard will excel and put themselves back in the conversation for the 2026 team, but this feels like an opportunity that Chris Getz missed.