Chicago White Sox Spring Training Defined by Southside Mindset


Ellie Williamson

March 13, 2026

The Chicago White Sox may have a bright future ahead of them, thanks to a young crop of talented prospects making a name for themselves in the minor leagues.

With MLB’s Spring Breakout Series approaching, a nationally televised showcase will share some of what the Chicago White Sox‘s future holds. It is becoming clear that the next competitive White Sox team is being built right now.

Spring Breakout: A National Stage for the Next Core

MLB’s Spring Breakout Series returns March 19–22, placing top prospects from every organization in standalone games broadcast across MLB Network and league platforms. Chicago’s prospects will face Los Angeles Dodgers prospects on March 21 at Camelback Ranch, with national streaming and MLB Network coverage highlighting the matchup. The purpose of the showcase is not the score of the game, but rather a way for the game’s next crop of potential stars to showcase their talents.

The White Sox have quite a few noteworthy players to keep an eye on for this year’s Spring Breakout Series.

Prospects to Watch

Left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz (MLB’s No. 49 Prospect)- The towering left-hander headlines Chicago’s pitching future. Schultz’s combination of extension, deception, and swing-and-miss breaking stuff gives him frontline starter potential. His development represents the organization’s renewed pitching identity.

Chicago hasn’t developed a true homegrown ace in years, and Schultz could change that. The 22-year-old reached Triple-A last season and could debut this year.

Outfielder Braden Montgomery (MLB’s No. 36 prospect)- Montgomery is one of the most dynamic athletes in the system. He blends power, defensive versatility and advanced plate discipline, and it is no surprise that he is one of the highest-rated prospects in baseball.

The White Sox lack long-term outfield anchors at the MLB level, and Montgomery profiles as a middle-order cornerstone.

Left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith (MLB’s No. 72 prospect)- Smith is a high-strikeout southpaw with a 60-grade fastball and slider. In an era where pitcher velocity is at the forefront, Smith gives the organization an arm to look forward to. Between Smith and Schultz, the core of the future White Sox rotation could already be in-house.

A Farm System Trending Upward

The World Baseball Classic pulled several notable White Sox players and prospects away from Cactus League action, including reliever Seranthony Domínguez, young catcher Kyle Teel and emerging infielder Sam Antonacci.

Rather than slowing development, those absences have reshaped spring training into an extended audition period for younger players.

Chicago’s depth players and prospects have received increased innings and plate appearances, accelerating evaluations for a coaching staff focused on long-term growth. The results have been encouraging. In Monday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, the White Sox erupted for an 11-run inning in a 12–3 win, highlighting organizational hitting depth and an aggressive offensive philosophy.

Only a few years removed from ranking near the bottom of Major League Baseball’s farm systems, Chicago now features multiple elite prospects.


According to MLB Pipeline’s 2026 rankings, the White Sox boast several Top-100 talents, including:

– Outfielder Braden Montgomery (MLB’s No. 36 prospect)

– Left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz — (MLB’s No. 49 prospect)

– Infielder Caleb Bonemer (MLB’s No. 61 prospect)

– Left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith (MLB’s No. 72 prospect)

– Shortstop Billy Carlson (MLB No. 73 prospect)

The organization now emphasizes pitching upside and athletic position players like shortstop Chase Meidroth. It is a philosophical shift from the veteran-heavy roster construction that defined the early part of this decade. The White Sox are looking to get younger and let a new generation of stars shape the future of their franchise.

Industry evaluators note that Chicago’s system is increasingly defined by high-ceiling arms and up-the-middle defenders, giving the club both trade flexibility and internal roster solutions. While national projections still place Chicago in rebuilding territory, several indicators suggest upward momentum. The club recently named emerging right-hander Shane Smith its Opening Day starter after a breakout 2025 season in which he led team starters in innings pitched, strikeouts, and WHIP.

That decision signals organizational confidence in younger arms rather than short-term veteran fixes. The White Sox are choosing development over patchwork. Recent camps have prioritized reps for prospects and non-roster invitees instead of veteran placeholders. They are aligning timelines across the system. The White Sox now possess multiple Top-100 prospects simultaneously, something absent during previous rebuild cycles.

Executives across baseball increasingly view the Spring Breakout games as an early indicator of organizational health. The White Sox entering with one of the more talent-rich rosters reflects how quickly perception around the franchise has shifted. If pitching prospects dominate and the athletic position-player group translates tools into production, Chicago’s rebuild may be closer to completion than standings suggest.

The White Sox are not contenders yet, but after three spring training games, it’s clear they are no longer directionless. Spring training taking place during the World Baseball Classic has highlighted organizational depth, and now the Spring Breakout game will offer a nationally televised glimpse of a franchise attempting to redefine itself through youth, pitching development and athleticism.

For a fan base searching for signs of progress, the future may already be taking the field in Glendale.

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Luisangel Acuna



Key White Sox spring training stat must translate to 2026 regular season

The White Sox should continue their aggressive mentality on the bases into the regular season

By Noah Phalen

Mar 12, 2026

The story of the White Sox spring has been the impressive play by the offense. Entering Thursday night’s game against the Giants, the White Sox ranked in the top five in runs scored, and their .283 team batting average was tied for second in all of baseball. Players like Austin Hays, Luisangel Acuna, and Miguel Vargas have impressed early in camp. But one area in particular has stuck out to me, and it’s the White Sox aggressiveness on the bases in Cactus League action. The White Sox 31 stolen bases are the fourth-most in the majors, and they have led the league at various points this spring. This aggressiveness is a mindset I believe they should take with them into the regular season.

The top of the White Sox leaderboard in stolen bases looks balanced. Korey Lee, a catcher, currently leads the team with four. Infielders Sam Antonacci and Darren Baker, as well as outfielder Dru Baker are tied with three. Luisangel Acuna, Jarred Kelenic, Chase Meidroth, Everson Pereira, Lenyn Sosa, and Miguel Vargas are among the White Sox potential regulars with at least one stolen base. A lineup full of players who can steal a base will put more pressure on opposing pitchers to throw strikes and keep them distracted from worrying about the runner.

Italy infielder Sam Antonacci keeps turning heads in the WBC with his baseball IQ. That's why people call White Sox GM Chris Getz asking for him.

"If we have interest in acquiring a player from another team, the first player they always ask for is Sam."https://t.co/xotFrN5Rhn

Despite an aggressive mentality, the White Sox finished 24th in baseball in stolen bases last season. Their leading base-stealer, Luis Robert Jr, is no longer with the organization, but the team added several capable base-stealers in the offseason. Will Venable and the coaching staff have made a point of highlighting the team’s mindset and encouraging aggression when it comes to taking the extra base and turning a single into a double. They’ll certainly look to improve on their bottom-third finish and the early returns this spring have been promising. While players like Dru Baker, Darren Baker, and Sam Antonacci aren’t likely to make the Opening Day roster, they could be a factor at some point during the regular season.

Players like Colson Montgomery, Munetaka Murakami, and Andrew Benintendi aren’t likely to be much of a factor on the bases, but the players in front of them getting into scoring position frequently feels like a recipe for success for the offense. As Mariners first-baseman Josh Naylor showed in 2025, stealing bases is about more than just speed. Picking the right spots to run and learning how to effectively slide to avoid the tag are just as important, and new White Sox first base coach Jose Leger will have the task of teaching the technique to the club’s younger players.

It’s not a guarantee that the White Sox will be a top five team in base-running once the regular season gets underway, but it’s a promising start in that department. Several of the top offenses in baseball in 2025 ranked in the top few teams in stolen bases, and if the White Sox truly would like to become a top tier offense, it’s an excellent place to start.

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Luisangel Acuna

Entering Tuesday’s game against the Athletics, Luisangel Acuna held a .412 average and a 1.121 OPS in the Cactus League, with a home run and two stolen bases. Acuna has played center field, second base, and shortstop early in camp and has driven the ball all over the field. According to TJStats, Acuna’s 97.3 mph average exit velocity ranks in the 97th percentile in all of baseball, and his 71.4% hard hit percentage is also in the 97th percentile. Compared to his 2025 numbers, where Acuna ranked in the 11th percentile in average exit velocity and the 26th percentile in hard-hit percentage, this is a significant improvement.

It’s only spring training, and the sample size is very small, but Acuna really struggled to pull the ball in the air last season, doing so in just 2.8% of his at bats last season. So far this spring, he’s pulled fly balls in 21.4% of his at bats, an improvement of nearly 20%. This represents a continuation of a strong showing in the Venezuelan Winter League and offseason adjustments the White Sox hitting staff has implemented in an effort to get Acuna driving the ball more.

The Score’s baseball insider Bruce Levine said on the radio that the White Sox envision Acuna batting near the top of their order and taking 500 at bats this season. He’ll likely never be the middle-of-the-order bat in their lineup that Luis Robert Jr was in his prime, but Acuna’s combination of speed and defensive versatility create a valuable player, and the White Sox believe there’s more in the tank than he’s shown on offense. Between Acuna, Everson Pereira, and Jarred Kelenic, the White Sox have a handful of young outfielders with upside that they hope can figure things out at the big league level in 2026. Top outfield prospect Braden Montgomery should also be a factor this season in Chicago.

Whether Luisangel Acuna’s early spring success will carry over to the regular season or not remains to be seen, but the 24 year-old is showing signs of some meaningful improvements. He’s slated to see significant time in the outfield and get every opportunity to prove he belongs at the big league level. If he does, White Sox fans can feel much better knowing their return for Luis Robert Jr. is stronger than expected.

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