Bonemer looks to take fast lane to South Side with OF reps in Fall League

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The White Sox had high expectations for Caleb Bonemer when they paid him a well-over-slot $2,997,500 bonus in the second round of the 2024 Draft. He keeps exceeding them, so Chicago is trying to figure out how to get him to the big leagues as soon as possible.

Bonemer broke into pro ball by earning Single-A Carolina League MVP honors in 2025, then encored by leading the Minors in extra-base hits (69) and ranking fifth in homers (37) this season while reaching Double-A at age 20. The Okemos (Mich.) High School product also has played a better shortstop than anticipated, displaying soft hands and the ability to execute throws from a variety of angles with his solid arm strength.

However, the White Sox have an overabundance of infielders in general, and shortstops in particular. So they had Bonemer concentrate more on playing third base once he arrived in Double-A Birmingham in mid-June, though they already have All-Star Miguel Vargas manning the hot corner in the Majors and 31-homer shortstop Colson Montgomery potentially shifting to third base when 2026 No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky (CWS No. 1/MLB No. 14) is ready in the near future.

As a result, Bonemer spent most of the last three weeks of the regular season in center field, and for now, is a full-time outfielder in the Arizona Fall League. In his first week with the Glendale Desert Dogs, he started two games in center and another in right field while going 8-for-22 (.364) with three doubles.

Bonemer's average speed is more suited for the corners than center field. He says playing the outfield is quite different, but has enjoyed it.

"The first game in Birmingham, I can remember standing out there and it almost didn't even feel like I was part of the game because everything's just so far away," he said. "I'm used to playing in the infield, playing short, playing third. I've got runners to deal with, the pitch is right there.

"Playing in the outfield is like I just got everything in front of me, I'm way far away, but it's been awesome. It's been a lot of fun, and credit to the White Sox for helping me out with a lot of the work and stuff. I've had a blast out there so far, and I'm looking forward to continuing to play out there."

It's not lost on Bonemer that three members of the organization's 2025 AFL contingent -- Sam Antonacci, Braden Montgomery, Hagen Smith -- played key roles in Chicago's stunning playoff run this year. He understands that the outfield likely would give him a quicker path to Rate Field than shortstop or third base would.

"That's definitely a big part of it, and that's kind of some of the things they're talking to me about," Bonemer said. "Obviously, wherever the organization wants me to play, I'm totally fine with it because at the end of the day, we all want to play in the big leagues. So whatever will help me get there the quickest is definitely what I'm up for. It's been a lot of fun, and I appreciate them giving me the opportunity."

Bonemer has taken different paths to success at the plate in his first two pro seasons. After showing an aggressive approach and a right-handed stroke that tended to get long and uphill as an amateur, he exuded more plate discipline and worked with a more measured stroke in his pro debut.

In 2026, Bonemer turned his swing loose more often and with a more extreme launch angle, hitting balls consistently harder and farther. His batting average dropped from .281 to .251 but his slugging percentage rose from .473 to .550 and his home run total from 12 to 37.

"I think the biggest thing was I just got stronger, put on some size and got in the weight room," said Bonemer, who's considerably stronger than his listed 195 pounds on a 6-foot-1 frame. "Honestly, it didn't really change a whole lot with my swing or approach. I just got bigger and I was able to mishit some balls and they got out for homers."

White Sox hitters in the Fall League

Anthony DePino, 1B (No. 21): DePino set Rhode Island single-season and career marks for runs, homers, extra-base hits, total bases and walks in 2025 -- when he also was just one of two NCAA Division I players to total 20 homers and 20 steals -- but lasted until the seventh round because he was a 22-year-old righty-hitting first baseman. The White Sox love his power and mental toughness, and he batted .262/.363/.481 with 25 homers in 125 games between High-A and Double-A during his first full pro season.

Colby Shelton, INF (No. 23): Drafted one round before DePino as a sixth-rounder out of Florida in 2025, Shelton is an aggressive lefty power hitter who's best suited for third or first base. He slashed .244/.338/.488 with 24 homers and 14 steals in 127 games between High-A and Double-A in his first full year as a pro.

Grant Magill, C: A fifth-year senior from Indiana State who signed for $5,000 as a non-drafted free agent in 2024, Magill hit .237/.297/.366 in 75 games between High-A and Double-A. He's a polished defender with a strong arm and threw out 37.4 percent of attempted basestealers this season.

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White Sox pitchers in the Fall League

Mathias LaCombe, RHP (No. 17): The second native of France ever drafted, LaCombe went in the 12th round in 2023 out of Cochise (Ariz.) CC and signed for $450,000, the equivalent of fifth-round money. He missed the first six weeks of the season with shoulder discomfort but returned to log a 4.20 ERA, .194 opponent average and 67 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings between four levels, mostly in High-A and Double-A. He gets a lot of horizontal action on a 94-97 mph fastball that touches 99 and a low-80s slider.

Pierce George, RHP (No. 18): George's inability to throw strikes in college dropped him to the 13th round of the 2024 Draft as an Alabama sophomore, but he has found more success in pro ball while pushing his fastball to 101 mph, his slider to 94 and his curveball to 87. He pitched for all four of Chicago's full-season affiliates this year, compiling a 3.56 ERA, .187 opponent average and 82 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings.

Nick Altermatt, RHP: A 17th-round pick in 2022 from Minnesota State-Mankato, Altermatt posted a 2.86 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. He keeps hitters off balance with a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 with good carry and a fading low-80s changeup.

Jonathan Clark, RHP: A San Jose State product signed after two seasons in the Pioneer League, Clark relies heavily on a mid-80s slider while mixing in a lively 92-96 mph fastball. He recorded a 4.10 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A.

Garrett Wright, RHP: After losing most of his first two full pro seasons to injury, Wright climbed from Single-A to Double-A this year and totaled a 4.20 ERA, .185 opponent average and 77 strikeouts in 55 2/3 innings. The 20th-rounder in 2023 out of Texas Christian unleashes upper-90s fastballs and upper-80s sliders from a high release point.