On rise of his own, Pinder eager to guide White Sox prospects as new Triple-A manager

One of the biggest truisms in baseball is that player development never stops, whether it’s for guys making their way up the Minor Leagues or those who are established in the Majors.

Chad Pinder has a special appreciation for that process, and it’s a big reason why he’s looking forward to his new opportunity in the White Sox organization. On Thursday, the 33-year-old was named the new manager of Triple-A Charlotte (following predecessor Sergio Santos), as Chicago announced its player development staff for 2026.

“I firmly believe in development,” Pinder said via Zoom. “It does not stop. It doesn't stop when you get into the big leagues. … We're here in Charlotte. We can continue to develop, and we can continue to get better and prepare ourselves for the next level.”

It marks a big step for Pinder, who played seven seasons in the Majors with the A’s (2016-22) and only began his managerial career one year ago, with Single-A Kannapolis. Now, he’s embarking upon an important role with Charlotte.

Pinder will be overseeing a Charlotte club that is an extension of the big league team, one that is the final stop for players before they reach the Majors. In 2026, the Knights could feature an important cast of prospects vital to the White Sox future.

Noah Schultz (ranked in 2025 as Chicago’s No. 2 prospect and No. 40 by MLB Pipeline) made five starts for Charlotte last year, following his June 18 promotion from Double-A Birmingham, before he missed time with a right knee issue. Braden Montgomery (No. 1 , No. 35) and Hagen Smith (No. 5, No. 88) both could make their way to Charlotte this year, after they finished 2025 with Birmingham.

The White Sox are confident Pinder is well-equipped for the job.

“He got to the big leagues and hung around because of who he is and how hard he worked,” said Paul Janish, the White Sox director of player development. “It's a super-valuable trait. His accountability level is extremely high, and I think the players are going to feel that.

“I think he's going to have the ability to have some hard conversations with players when they need to hear them, and they'll land in a different way, probably, because of his background.”

Pinder (who lives in Charlotte with his wife, Taylor, and their two kids, ages 5 and 2) played in 553 career big league games with the A’s. He’s only three years removed from hanging up his spikes, after a stint in Triple-A with the Braves in 2023. His own development continued in the Majors as someone who learned to bounce around the diamond while playing multiple positions with the A’s.

The players Pinder will be managing now will often be older than those on his roster in Kannapolis. But the job does not have to change, as far as forming connections with guys, learning what their aspirations are and what they want to work on, and building on those goals together.

“Ultimately I just want the guys to be ready and I want them to be able to play free,” Pinder said. “[Free] from stressors, from excuses, from assumptions, to give them the clarity, the direction of what the organization thinks and wants of them.

“Just prepare them so that at 7 o’clock, all they have to worry about is go out and play baseball.”

The White Sox announced a slew of other staff changes on Thursday. Chicago named Patrick Leyland (son of Hall of Famer Jim) Birmingham’s new manager. Leyland was at the helm with High-A Winston Salem in 2025. Guillermo Quiroz (who was Birmingham’s manager in ‘25) is now managing the Dash.

Former White Sox infielder Jayson Nix (who spent 2010-11 on the South Side during his seven-year big league career) was named the new manager of Kannapolis. It’s his first managerial gig.

“The type of player that he was, I can [empathize] with,” Janish said. “He earned everything he got as a player. There’s definitely an edge to Jayson that I think is going to benefit our players.”

Also new to the organization are Zach McAllister (pitching consultant) and Sherman Johnson (hitting coordinator). McAllister pitched nine seasons in the Majors, including eight with Cleveland. Johnson served as an assistant hitting coach/upper level hitting coordinator for the Orioles in 2025.