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.
CHICAGO -- Youth will continue to be served in 2026 for the rebuilding White Sox, with their list of high-end prospects -- topped by shortstop Colson Montgomery, catcher Kyle Teel and right-hander Shane Smith -- looking to take another developmental step forward following solid ’25 debuts.
But with the start of the Winter Meetings approaching on Monday, general manager Chris Getz will be working to help this group get better beyond the collective growth of its core.
Here’s a complete look at the White Sox as they head to Orlando, Fla.
CLUB NEEDS
A left-handed bat is a key target to further balance the offense. That bat could fit in one of the corner outfield spots or one of the corner infield spots, with Miguel Vargas capable of playing first or third.
Martin Pérez, Adrian Houser and Aaron Civale contributed a combined 191 2/3 innings to the ’25 White Sox, not to mention 61 1/3 innings from Tyler Alexander, 48 1/3 from Yoendrys Gómez and 47 1/3 from Bryse Wilson. The young White Sox arms will get a bump in workload next season, but the White Sox need to add a veteran hurler or two to the rotation to help offset those innings.
The White Sox definitely need a dedicated and experienced late-inning leverage presence, even a set closer.
POTENTIAL TRADE CANDIDATES
Luis Robert Jr. remains front and center with the White Sox as of today. His future with the team could begin to unfold a bit more definitively by the start of next week.
If this story seems familiar, it’s because the Robert trade scenario has been playing out since the 2024 Deadline. The White Sox picked up his $20 million club option for the 2026 season, but they also will listen to offers on pretty much anyone on the roster, as Getz has previously mentioned. The questions center on Robert’s worth in the minds of opposing teams and whether a return for him ultimately assists the overall rebuild, or if the team is better served with his skill and veteran presence staying on its side.
Catching is a strength with Teel, Edgar Quero and Korey Lee on the 40-man roster, and Getz considers catching talent to be gold. But the White Sox could repurpose this talent by moving one catcher from the group, possibly pairing him in a deal with another player, such as Robert. Getz isn’t shopping anyone but is always looking to make the roster better as a whole.
PROSPECT TO KNOW
Braden Montgomery, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 35 overall per MLB Pipeline, won’t break spring camp with the team, but the switch-hitting outfielder could work his way into the big leagues in 2026 if he continues to progress the way he did in his first professional campaign.
Through stops at Single-A Kannapolis, High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham, the 22-year-old slashed .270/.360/.444 with 12 home runs, 34 doubles, 68 RBIs, 64 runs scored and 14 stolen bases. The White Sox have not been shy on pushing top prospects to the next level when they show that they're ready for the challenge.
Let’s also not forget left-handers Noah Schultz (No. 2 White Sox prospect, No. 40 overall) and Hagen Smith (No. 5 and No. 88), who should be part of the big league staff in ’26.
RULE 5 DRAFT
Shane Smith, the top pick in the ’24 Rule 5 Draft, not only broke camp with the team but ascended to the top of the White Sox rotation, his first All-Star appearance and, quite possibly, the 2026 Opening Day start in Milwaukee. The White Sox also acquired right-hander Mike Vasil from the Rays at the end of Spring Training after the Phillies selected him in that same Rule 5 Draft and traded him to Tampa Bay, and he was successful in myriad roles. The White Sox 40-man stands at 34, so they are likely to take a chance in this area yet again.
Right-handers Tanner McDougal and Duncan Davitt have already been added to the 40-man to protect them from potential Rule 5 selections, and both will help the White Sox at some point this season. The White Sox did not add left-hander Shane Murphy, who is coming off a minuscule 1.66 ERA posted over 26 games (23 starts) and three Minor League stops, or right-handers Ben Peoples, Mason Adams and Peyton Pallette, who could draw interest.
BURNING QUESTION
Will the White Sox get the top pick in the Draft Lottery, to be held on Dec. 9? They have the best odds (27.73 percent) of the 15 eligible teams, and getting that top overall selection could be another impact addition moving forward.
Speaking of that move forward, a second question is: How active will the White Sox be, and how much are they willing to spend during this offseason? Getz originally spoke of multiyear deals not being a major focus at this stage of the team’s development, but he then told reporters at the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas last month that those sorts of deals haven’t been ruled out if they made sense overall.
Growth from 60 wins in ’25 to the next rung of success in ’26 still primarily resides with the development of the core, but Getz knows moves need to be made to improve this team, either in free agency or via trade. They clearly won’t be operating in the high-market end of the free-agent spectrum.