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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Guardians traded Junior Caminero, and then he became an MLB superstar

This one hasn't aged well.

Billy Heyen

15 hours ago

The Cleveland Guardians were the team that brought Junior Caminero to professional baseball.

But as Caminero rises into a superstar for the Tampa Bay Rays in MLB and the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, all the Guardians have been able to do is watch and wish things had turned out differently.

Yep, the Guardians once traded Caminero away.

That's not a moment that has aged well.

The Guardians signed Caminero as a teenager out of the Dominican Republic in 2019.

After the COVID year altered prospect development, Caminero starred in the Dominican Summer League in 2021 with a .534 slugging percentage.

The Guardians apparently didn't see enough out of him there. They traded him away before giving him any more shots to shine in the Cleveland organization.

In November 2021, Cleveland traded Caminero to the Tampa Bay Rays for Tobias Myers.

Myers at that point had put up a 3.90 ERA across Double-A and Triple-A in 2021 with strong strikeout numbers.

He didn't stick around long, either. The Guardians traded Myers to the San Francisco Giants for cash in July 2022, less than a year after the initial deal.

Myers wound up with the Brewers, where he showed some promise at the MLB level in 2024 but spent almost the entirety of 2025 back in Triple-A. He was sent to the Mets this offseason.

As for Caminero? He hit 45 home runs in 2025 for the Rays and just was a dominant for in the WBC.

He's just 22 and looks to be one of the best home run hitters in baseball.

Cleveland's lineup sure could use a guy like that.

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Blue Jays update shows Guardians were smart to get out of Shane Bieber business

By Henry Palattella

1 hour ago

At this time last year, Shane Bieber was one of the biggest wild cards on the Guardians’ roster. While he had re-upped with the Guardians on a one-year, $14 million during the previous offseason, he was still working his way back from the Tommy John surgery.

Bieber never ended up appearing for the Guardians in 2025, as he spent the first half of the season continuing his rehab before Cleveland’s front office traded him to the Blue Jays at the deadline for pitching prospect Khal Stephen.

And although he returned mid-way through the season and pitched well for the Blue Jays down the stretch, his checkered injury history popped up once again this offseason due to shoulder fatigue.

The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon was asked about that injury during a reader Q&A he had earlier in the week, where he said that he would be “surprised” if Bieber pitched for the Blue Jays in April as he works his way back from that shoulder fatigue.

While his injury situation isn’t as severe as it was last year when he was recovering from Tommy John, Bieber having his short-term future adjusted due to injury should be nothing new to Guardians fans.

Former Guardian Shane Bieber will start the season on the injured list for the Blue Jays

Bieber’s injury resulted in a huge ripple effect for the Blue Jays that ended up changing the free agency landscape. Bieber surprised everyone in baseball by picking up his player option not long after last season ended, and it quickly became clear that he did so because of shoulder fatigue.

As a result, the Blue Jays spent the offseason retooling their starting rotation, starting with signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year contract. And although they have more starters than spots, they may need to rely on an unheralded arm in Eric Lauer thanks to Bieber being unable to go at the start of the season.

Meanwhile the Guardians are navigating a rotation crunch of their own without having to worry about Bieber hanging over it. Don’t get us wrong; having Shane Bieber on your roster is a good thing. But you also can’t bank on him making 30+ starts at this point in his career, which is why the Blue Jays spent so much money on their rotation this offseason.

The Guardians wouldn’t be able to do that. So, instead of trying to fit Bieber into their rotation, they just decided to turn the rotation over to the young kids.

It worked. Not only have Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams become aces, but Joey Cantillo, Parker Messick and Slade Cecconi have all begun to turn into interesting and talented arms

Bieber will always be held in high regard in Cleveland for what he did during his time with the Guardians, but the front office was smart to trade him when they did.

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Pipeline

Hernandez leaves jaws on floor with 102.4 mph 'beam of light' on first pitch

March 20th, 2026

Dawn Klemish

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Seth Hernandez has never been far away. While the Major Leaguers held court at LECOM Park, he toiled away the spring at Pirate City just a few miles up the road.

There’s no official record of him hitting triple digits on the radar there, only whispers and wide eyes. When the right-hander’s 12-6 curveball cut, it was up to his Minor League teammates to provide the hand-over-mouth, “Did he really just do that?” reactions. When Hernandez stymied a batter with a changeup that a 19-year-old just shouldn’t already have such a feel for, he did so in relative shadow.

Hernandez stepped out from behind the curtain for the first time on Friday night, though, and gave Pirates fans their first glimpse of the future.

A lot like his fastball, it is fast, it is dirty and it will be here before you know it.

Just ask Tigers prospect Max Clark.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Fn1xbwr0 ... ture=share

When Hernandez took the mound at LECOM Park to start Pittsburgh's 8-7 Spring Breakout game win vs. Detroit, it was his first time in front of a crowd since the Pirates selected him sixth overall in the 2025 MLB Draft. Was he amped up? Maybe just a little: The first offering from Pittsburgh’s No. 3 prospect (No. 29 in MLB) blazed past Clark at 102.4 mph. Although the plate appearance ultimately ended in a walk, five of Hernandez’s six offerings to Clark came at 100 mph or faster.

That first one left Clark -- baseball’s No. 10 prospect -- with wide eyes as he stepped out of the box, mouthed “what the,” smiled and then nodded his appreciation at Hernandez.

“Amped up or not, it's legit stuff,” said Clark, who was interviewed by MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo in the dugout in the bottom of the first inning. “I've been following Seth since high school. I've been waiting for it; I was excited that he's getting the start.

“I knew he was gonna be fired up. And that first pitch at 102 did look a little bit like a beam of light, I'll tell you that.”

Hernandez made sure to empty his bag of tricks as the Bucs’ top prospects hosted their Tigers counterparts, with 11 of his 21 pitches touching triple digits -- and three more clocked at 99-plus.

“It's overpowering, and it's electric,” said High-A Greensboro bench coach Phillip Wellman, who managed the Bucs' prospects in the contest. “... He's big, he's strong and the first time he cuts loose a fastball, everybody's gonna go, 'Whoa.'"

Hernandez lost his first two Detroit batters to six-pitch walks -- and the last three pitches of each at-bat lit up the radar at 100-plus mph. The third Tiger, Jack Penney, swung through a 1-2 curveball that looked like it fell off a table. Hernandez coaxed his final opponent of the night, Detroit's No. 25 prospect Eduardo Valencia, to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to escape the frame unscathed.

"We have seen him throw on the back field. We hadn't seen 102 before, but certainly saw upper-90s, and the feel for the breaking balls and his changeup, which is nasty,” Pirates director of coaching and player development Michael Chernow said during an in-game interview on the Pirates' telecast. “For a 19-year-old kid, the feel to be able to turn that thing over is special."

Two years ago, a kid named Paul Skenes was the marquee arm during Spring Breakout 2024. Last year, Bubba Chandler did the honors. Hernandez was humbled to be third in that line, but he was also quick to point out that he’s far from the end of it.

“Man, to be on a list with those guys is pretty special,” Hernandez said. "Trying to get to Pittsburgh as fast as I can, to be on the same roster as those guys. …

“Our pitching system is just absolutely unbelievable. The Pirates know [how to] develop pitchers, and they know to develop some great ones.”

Whether knee-buckling curve, low-80s changeup or straight fire down the pipe, each of Hernandez’s pitches drew eager responses from the crowd, praise from the broadcast and befuddlement from the Tigers.

Wellman -- a veteran coach of nearly four decades -- was no less impressed.

“It's hard to hit them both, obviously,” Wellman said of the pitches. “When you're throwing almost 100, and then you drop a changeup in there, it's good. I saw him last week [pitching at Minor League camp], and it's our guy, so I hate to say this, but we had no chance.


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Top Cardinals prospect JJ Wetherholt makes opening day roster


The Associated Press

March 23, 2026

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — JJ Wetherholt is heading to the majors.

Cardinals director of baseball operations Chaim Bloom told reporters on Monday that Wetherholt, the seventh pick in the 2024 amateur draft out of West Virginia, will be on the opening day roster.

The 23-year-old shortstop hit .212 with two home runs and seven RBIs this spring for St. Louis.

Wetherholt is coming off a strong 2025 in which he hit a combined .306 with 19 home runs, 79 RBIs and 23 stolen bases in 138 games split between Double-A and Triple-A.

Bloom also said the Cardinals will take infielders Jose Fermin and Thomas Saggese and outfielder Nathan Church with them to St. Louis for Thursday’s season opener against Tampa Bay.

First Round

1. Guardians: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
Pick value: $10,570,600
Signing bonus: $8,950,000

2. Reds: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
Pick value: $9,785,000
Signing bonus: $9,250,000

3. Rockies: Charlie Condon, OF, Georgia
Pick value: $9,070,800
Signing bonus: $9,250,000

4. Athletics: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Pick value: $8,370,800
Signing bonus: $7,000,000

5. White Sox: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
Pick value: $7,763,700
Signing bonus: $8,000,000

6. Royals: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
Pick value: $7,213,800
Signing bonus: $7,500,000

7. Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, SS, West Virginia
Pick value: $6,823,700
Signing bonus: $6,900,000

8. Angels: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Pick value: $6,502,800
Signing bonus: $4,997,500

9. Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS, Jackson Prep School (MS)
Pick value: $6,216,600
Signing bonus: $6,532,025

10. Nationals: Seaver King, SS, Wake Forest
Pick value: $5,953,800
Signing bonus: $5,150,000

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News

Detroit Tigers Top Prospect Kevin McGonigle Skips Triple-A, Makes MLB Roster


Julian Guilarte - World Baseball Network

March 25, 2026

The Detroit Tigers’ top prospect, Kevin McGonigle, has won the starting shortstop job and will start the season in the Major Leagues according to the Tigers X account.

​McGonigle spoke with World Baseball Network during spring training in Lakeland, Florida, on Feb. 20.

​“I’m just here to get better. 
I’m here to learn from the older guys and, you know, I feel like everything will fall into place at the right time. So I’m not really looking that far ahead right now. I worried about spring, just getting better and better each day. 
So, just being prepared for whatever they need me to do next year coming up,” McGonigle said of competing for an MLB roster spot.

It would seem he did everything he had to do and was able to learn from his big league teammates, such as Gleyber Torres and Javier Báez.

​“Just sitting back and watching how they attack each day and how they work out in the infield and their approach and the batter’s box is really special to learn from them,” McGonigle added. “And, you know, like I said, trying to get as much info out of all those guys as I can.”

He had two home runs, six RBIs, 11 walks, and nine strikeouts, with an OPS of .888 in 44 spring training at-bats.

It wasn’t always an easy road for McGonigle, who, at 5-foot-9, is an undersized played at the professional level, not to mention in MLB. McGonigle even had some doubts himself when he struggled with Double-A Erie last season.

“Um, I think I’d say when I first got called up to AA last year. I struggled a little bit, but I got out of that little slump ahead and, you know, I just keep getting better, better each day, you know, get through those slumps and it all falls in place,” McGonigle said.

He started off his Double-A career 2-for-15 and was 7-for-38 – that’s a .184 batting average – before he hit his first Double-A home run. He ended up locking in and finished his Double-A season with 12 home runs, 41 RBIs, seven stolen bases, and an OPS of .919 in 169 at-bats.

“Getting here every day and giving it my all, uh, being prepared for the season and, uh, you know, building relationships with all these guys I think, is uh, the main thing I’m most proud of this spring,” McGonigle said.

McGonigle was born in Media, Pa., and grew up a Philadelphia Phillies fan, idolizing Chase Utley, to whom he has been compared to by some baseball analysts, including ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

“Chase, he was always my favorite player, so watching him growing up. How he played the game and how, you know, he just went out and played it hard every inning, every pitch. So just kind of trying to play it like him,” McGonigle said.

McGonigle played in the Arizona Fall League and won the AFL MVP this past November. He also started playing other positions out there, such as third base and second base.

“I was very, very happy with the opportunity to go out there and play. With a few of the other guys from the organization, and yeah, it was a great time. More baseball, I was practicing at other infield spots,
So yeah, it was definitely a good experience,” McGonigle told World Baseball Network.

“That would mean everything. You know, that’s a dream of mine to go help a team win a World Series, and I think the Tigers are in a great spot with that, and I’m looking forward to hopefully one day being able to help them out,” McGonigle said when asked what a call-up to the Tigers would mean for him in the AFL last November.

McGonigle mentioned “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley as a potential walk-up song selection for his Major League debut.

The lights will turn on for McGonigle and the Tigers against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on March 26 when their regular season officially begins.

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