White Sox Spring Training News: Murakami's versatility, Dominguez, top prospects, and more

The White Sox have begun their 2026 Spring Training, with pitchers and catchers officially reporting earlier this week. Position players don’t officially head to Arizona until later this weekend, but many have arrived at camp early to get a head start. With Will Venable Chris Getz, and many players speaking about their offseason and the season ahead, a few notable items have been revealed. Here are some of the important news bits from the first week of camp: 

An update on Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith 

White Sox left-handed pitching prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith both head into Spring Training hoping for a bounce-back season. Manager Will Venable, on the Foul Territory podcast, was asked about the possibility that either top prospect breaks camp with the Major League team. 

“No. Neither of them are going to break with our team,” Venable said. “We’ve been direct with those guys about that, and really just want to set them on their path to get into their routines and get their build up going. But at the same time, they are going to be guys that help us this year.”  

It’s not a surprising development, as both Smith and Schultz are coming off 2025 seasons that they would like to forget, albeit for different reasons. Both Smith and Schultz also spoke with the media on Tuesday addressing their offseason and the goals they have for 2026. 

“Obviously, people have expectations,” Smith said. “But I have certain expectations. I hold myself to a high standard. I didn’t meet that last year. This year, I hope I will.” 

On his knee injury, which held him back for much of 2025, Schultz said:

“It feels great. Having no issues. It’s been great. Did PT through the offseason and in a good spot and it’s not an issue.” 

The White Sox will certainly hope for a better showing for their top two pitching prospects, and a strong first half could land both in Chicago by midseason. 

A defined role for Seranthony Dominguez and Erick Fedde

The White Sox added Seranthony Dominguez to the bullpen and Erick Fedde to shore up their rotation, and fans received clarity on the roles for both players this week. Will Venable, in the same interview on Foul Territory, addressed the role the team envisions for Dominguez.

“Seranthony is our closer,” Venable said. “I feel comfortable saying that. We signed him to close games for us, so we expect him to be shutting things down in the 9th inning”. 

The White Sox paid Dominguez $20 million over the next two seasons and he’s the most experienced closer of the bunch, so Venable’s statement is simply a confirmation of what was already anticipated. Grant Taylor, Sean Newcomb, Jordan Hicks, and Jordan Leasure are among the team’s other late-inning options. 

Venable spoke in another interview about the White Sox most recent addition in Erick Fedde and what his role could look like.

“There’s gonna be things that will come to life as we get through this Spring Training and figure things out, but he is certainly in the mix and someone we anticipate being in the rotation” Venable said. 

Fedde figures to join Shane Smith, Davis Martin, and Anthony Kay in the White Sox rotation, with a fifth spot up for grabs. 2025 Opening Day starter Sean Burke may be the favorite, but others are involved in the competition. The White Sox initial rotation will be a battle to watch as the spring moves along. 

How the White Sox could use Munetaka Murakami’s versatility 

The White Sox signed Munetaka Murakami with the idea of him playing first base everyday, but his experience playing third base in Japan could be a useful tool for the team. Venable spoke about his versatility earlier this week. 

“We want to focus on first base,” Venable said. “But obviously he’s somebody that’s played on the other side of the diamond and we want to make sure that that’s still a club in his bag. He’s someone, again, that is committed and is willing to put in the work to be proficient at both spots” 

The White Sox infield group of Murakami, Meidroth, Montomery, and Vargas is largely set, but Vargas’ and Murakami both have experience playing both first and third base, so the White Sox could potentially use this versatility to their advantage and get a different look at points during the season. 

Former White Sox closer Liam Hendriks finds a new home

Former White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, who made the all-star team as a member of the White Sox in 2021 and 2022, has signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins with an invitation to major league spring training. Hendriks, 37, spent the last two seasons with the Boston Red Sox organization, though he was limited to just 14 appearances since 2024 due to multiple injuries. Hendriks will look to re-establish himself as a late-inning presence after a courageous cancer battle and a Tommy John surgery have derailed his career as of late. The likelihood of Hendriks making the Twins Opening Day roster is unclear, but he’ll get an opportunity to prove himself in camp. 

White Sox announce Spring Broadcast schedule

The White Sox announced their broadcast schedule for their 2026 Cactus League games. The team will broadcast nine games on CHSN, starting with Saturday, February 21st against the Athletics. An additional six games will be available for radio broadcast on ESPN Chicago, including next Friday's Cactus League opener against the Cubs. Of the six radio broadcasts, three will also be streamed on Whitesox.com. White Sox fans may still be able to watch Cactus League games through the opposing team's broadcast, so fans should keep an eye on the broadcast schedule for each of the White Sox opponents as well.

Stay tuned for all the relevant White Sox news throughout Spring Training.