There’s a lot of uncertainty about if and when the 2027 season will begin as a lockout looms over Major League Baseball, but team executives are going to proceed as if a full season will be played and make plans for the new year. The White Sox can look forward to another influx of young talent arriving in 2027, but the exact timing of such moves is not yet known. In case any White Sox fans thought they might see top prospect Caleb Bonemer making his big league debut on Opening Day in 2027, those dreams can be put to bed. Speaking to reporters at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this week, White Sox general manager Chris Getz indicated that Bonemer will begin the 2027 season with Triple-A Charlotte. For a couple reasons, I think this is the right move.
—he described pen help as lower priority, even after moving Taylor, with arms who’ve worked as starters being options to move to relief
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) November 10, 2026
—they’ll consider trading infield depth, but not looking to
—Caleb Bonemer will start in AAA
—Said offseason pace doesn’t feel different yet
Caleb Bonemer had an excellent 2026 season, launching 37 home runs between High-A and Double-A, including a blast against former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole. Following his strong season, the White Sox sent Bonemer to the Arizona Fall League where he has primarily played outfield for the first time in his professional career. This move was partially to increase his versatility and partially to find a path to quicker big league at bats with a crowded big league infield. As exciting as it would be to have Bonemer on the roster in the immediate term, he’s never played above Double-A and there’s no reason for the White Sox to force the issue with a player they believe will be a mainstay in their lineup.
Caleb Bonemer will be able to play in MiLB during lockout
In addition, the lockout is a major factor. When MLB players are locked out by the owners in a couple weeks, they’ll no longer be eligible to play at any level. This restriction applies to players on the team’s 40-man roster, making this year’s Rule 5 protection deadline interesting. Caleb Bonemer is NOT currently on the team’s 40-man roster and is not eligible for Rule 5, so there’s no obligation for the White Sox to add him until he’s ready to play in the big leagues. It’s unclear how long the lockout will last, but should it continue into April and past the start of the minor league season, Bonemer would be eligible to play for the Charlotte Knights while the lockout is ongoing. It’ll be difficult to tell how likely that is until the spring, but it’s definitely on the minds of the White Sox staff.
How long Bonemer will stay in Charlotte depends on a handful of factors. When will the MLB season actually start? How will Bonemer perform against Triple-A pitching? How comfortable does he look in the outfield? Is the White Sox roster healthy and performing at a high level? All of these could affect the exact date of Bonemer’s debut, though it seems highly likely it’ll be at some point in 2027.
During the last rebuild, the White Sox seemed to award starting jobs to players before they were earned, and it prevented them from making meaningful upgrades to the roster. When some of those players struggled to perform or stay on the field, it left the White Sox without an answer at key positions. They need to avoid making that same mistake again this time around, and leaving Bonemer in Triple-A for now is the right way to do that.
I have little doubt that White Sox fans will get to see Caleb Bonemer at Rate Field in 2027, the only question is when.
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