For this White Sox prospect, a HBP (or 40) comes with the territory

This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin’s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Imagine a 95 or 96 mph fastball coming at you, and there’s no chance to get out of the way.

Pain is sure to follow when it contacts said individual’s body, and that fact holds true even if it’s a slightly lower velocity slider, curve or changeup. Now, imagine getting hit by a pitch 39 times in one season, and you have part of Sam Antonacci’s breakout 2025 campaign.

The 23-year-old -- who ended '25 ranked as Chicago's No. 11 prospect -- was hit 16 times with Double-A Birmingham, 19 times with High-A Winston-Salem and four times with Glendale in the Arizona Fall League. But don’t look for the talented infielder to avoid those baseballs in ’26.

His goal is to get on base, any way possible.

“Definitely hurts a little bit, but you have to grow up at some point and just be able to play through it,” the non-roster invite to White Sox Spring Training told MLB.com prior to Tuesday’s workouts. “It was instilled in me in college, especially when kind of getting screamed at it if I got out of the way. I’m happy I have those teachings.”

Antonacci had 306 plate appearances for Coastal Carolina during the ’24 season and was hit by a pitch 27 times. After he was selected by the White Sox in the fifth round of the ’24 Draft, he was hit another four times with Single-A Kannapolis.

“A lot of bruises,” said a smiling Antonacci. “But it’s part of it.”

“You can tell Sam to get out of the way. He won’t,” said White Sox director of hitting Ryan Fuller of the fast-rising left-handed hitter. “He wants to get on first and you are going to see him steal second and create some havoc out there. A run-producing player.”

There’s certainly more to Antonacci than being able to manage pain for a trip to first base. During his ’25 campaign, primarily with Winston-Salem and Birmingham, Antonacci posted a slash line of .291/.433/.409 with 21 doubles, five home runs, six triples, 57 RBIs, 78 runs scored and 73 strikeouts against 69 walks. His 48 stolen bases ranked second in the organization.

This on-field prowess earned Antonacci a spot on Team Italy’s roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. He’ll be teammates with catcher Kyle Teel, a union figuring to play out again during the ’26 White Sox regular season.

“I’m excited to play alongside Teel. That should be fun,” Antonacci said. “Right now, I’m honestly just here to meet all these guys and kind of just get together with them and build on what the White Sox are doing, and then when Team Italy comes, I’ll focus on that. My sole focus is here and getting better with these guys.”

Team Italy contacted Antonacci in November. His great-grandfather is from Italy, and he would like to make that trip in the future.

His mom, Nicki, certainly will have immense pride watching her son in action. She’s not so happy with his propensity to get hit by pitches, as Antonacci explained.

“My mom hates me for it. I found that out in the offseason,” said Antonacci with a laugh. “She said I’m going to get hurt that way.

“She could be right. But I would rather get hurt for wearing a pitch to help my team out than getting out of the way and then striking out. So, she can be mad at that, but we’ll have our differences. I’m just here to try to get on first base.”

There have been near injury moments for Antonacci, but talented trainers and the organization’s recovery programs make sure he’s back on the field the next day. “No pain, no gain,” is a life motto for Antonacci.

“Sam is a gamer. It’s the level of work he puts in the cage,” Fuller said.

“His intent is amazing, but it turns to another level when the game starts. He’s not going to do anything that jumps off the page. He’s not going to hit the hardest balls, but he’s incredibly consistent. You watch him two, three games, you look at the scorecard and it’s, ‘Sam got on base seven times in the last two games.’”

“If that’s part of his game, then some guys, that’s just what they do,” said White Sox manager Will Venable, who was hit by a pitch 26 times during his nine-year Major League career. “He’s definitely that kind of player where he’s not going to shy away from any kind of contact -- certainly not from the ball. If it helps him get on base and he’s not breaking bones, it’s fine by me.”