The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best team in baseball and they won the 2024 World Series as well. Since then, qualifying offers have been extended, free agents have officially filed (and signed in a few cases) and the White Sox and Miami Marlins have hired new managers. There have been some front office additions across the league as well.
The White Sox are in the process of filling out Will Venable’s coaching staff and some familiar faces are expected to return. Ethan Katz will remain the pitching coach as he’s aligned philosophically with senior advisor to pitching Brian Bannister. Former interim manager Grady Sizemore will remain on staff as well and it seems like hitting coach Marcus Thames will also return. After a record 121 loss season in his first year on the job, general manager Chris Getz has continued to reshape the organization.
The research and development department has undergone massive change and the professional scouting operation is being significantly revamped as well. Veteran scout David Keller was hired from the New York Mets and he’ll take over for Marco Paddy as the director of international operations. Ryan Fuller served as the co-hitting coach for the Baltimore Orioles last year after performing other duties on the hitting side as well. He will take over as the White Sox’s director of hitting; a newly established position for the franchise. More hires are likely coming as the off-season moves along as well.
The White Sox’s 40-man roster currently stands at 36. Mike Clevinger, Chris Flexen, Michael Soroka and Dominic Leone elected free agency. Matt Foster and Jimmy Lambert did so as well after being outrighted off of the roster. The options were also declined on catcher Max Stassi and third baseman Yoan Moncada.
The White Sox only have $41 million committed to the team prior to arbitration. Andrew Benintendi will earn $17.1 million with Luis Robert receiving $15 million in 2025. The club will also pay $6.5 million for the buyouts to John Brebbia, Moncada and Stassi. An additional $2.5 million will be allocated to Jose Abreu and Liam Hendriks due to deferred payments from previous contracts.
Major League Baseball’s Rule Five Draft will take place on Wednesday December 11th during the annual winter meetings in Dallas, Texas this year. In the Major League phase of the draft, any player who isn’t on a club’s 40-man roster and is also approaching his fourth or fifth season in an organization can be selected by another club for $100,000 paid to the holding organization.
Players signed at the age of 18 or younger have five years in an organization before becoming eligible. Players who are signed at the age of 19 or older have four years with their respective clubs. There is also a Minor League phase where unprotected players not on a MiLB reserve roster can be selected under the same service time restrictions. Unlike the rule in which drafted players must be kept on a big league roster or returned for $50,000, the minor league phase has no such requirement.
The White Sox will have the top selection in this year’s Rule Five Draft and they will likely take someone since they can choose their highest rated player available. With the 5th pick in last year’s Rule Five Draft, the club selected southpaw Shane Drohan from the Boston Red Sox. The franchise felt that Drohan possessed starter upside but he injured his shoulder in spring training and was ultimately returned to the Boston organization. The 40-man roster must be finalized by Tuesday, November 19th at 5:00 pm central. The White Sox could have some difficult decisions to make but they have plenty of flexibility on the big league roster.
White Sox Current Roster
Here is a look at the current 40-man roster for the Pale Hose. The roster includes 20 pitchers, two catchers, nine infielders and six outfielders. We can’t predict future trades or transactions that may occur, so we’re working from the current organizational depth chart. The following players require protection or are already on the 40-man roster but aren’t necessarily 26-man roster players at this point in time.
Pitchers: Justin Anderson, Prelander Berroa, Sean Burke, Ky Bush, Enyel De Los Santos, Jake Eder, Fraser Ellard, Jairo Iriarte, Jordan Leasure, Ron Marinaccio, Penn Murfee, Nick Nastrini, Jesse Scholtens, Gus Varland and Steven Wilson.
Position Players: Jacob Amaya (infield), Brooks Baldwin (infield), Oscar Colas (outfield), Zach DeLoach (outfield), Dominic Fletcher (Outfield), Corey Julks (outfield), Bryan Ramos (infield), Gavin Sheets (infield), and Braden Shewmake (infield).
Some of these players will definitely be on the roster bubble but many of them will likely play a role on the 2025 squad. Sean Burke seems to have the inside track to a rotation spot in Chicago and Prelander Berroa, Jordan Leasure, Fraser Ellard and Gus Varland could all be candidates to pitch out of the big league bullpen. Justin Anderson, Enyel De Los Santos, and Steven Wilson are arbitration eligible and none are locks to remain the in the organization. Ron Marinaccio and Penn Murfee were recent waiver claims who could be given a chance while Ky Bush, Jake Eder and Jairo Iriarte likely need some more minor league seasoning.
Nicky Lopez was arbitration eligible this season but the White Sox made the non-tender decision early by deciding to outright him off the roster. He’s now a free agent. Jacob Amaya, Brooks Baldwin, Bryan Ramos and Braden Shewmake are all candidates to play for the 2025 team in some capacity. Oscar Colas, Zach DeLoach, Corey Julks and Dominic Fletcher remain on the 40-man roster as well. Gavin Sheets will be an interesting decision when the non-tender deadline approaches as well.
Players Not Yet on White Sox Roster
There are also numerous players not currently on the 40-man roster that present some risk of being taken in December’s Rule Five draft if not protected. If another team takes a player in the Rule 5, they must keep the player on their active roster for the entirety of the season or return the player to his original club for $50,000 – something to keep in mind when evaluating claim risk. I will split these players into two categories.
Risk of Being Claimed
- Juan Carela (RHP)
- Anthony Hoopii-Tuioneotoa (RHP)
- Trey McGough (LHP)
- Colson Montgomery (SS)
- Wilfred Veras (OF)
Even though Colson Montgomery was drafted out of high school in 2021, he’ll be eligible for this year’s Rule 5 Draft due to the fact that he was 19-years-old on draft day. The best position player prospect in the Pale Hose system struggled in 573 plate appearances with the Charlotte Knights this season. The 22-year-old hit 18 homers and he walked at a 12% clip but he experienced the first real struggles he’s encountered as a professional overall. The White Sox are pleased with Montgomery’s defense at shortstop and he got some extra experience playing third base in the Arizona Fall League as well.
In 11 games as a participant in the AFL, the former first rounder slashed .313/.511/.656 while clubbing three homers. Montgomery will assuredly be protected by the White Sox in the coming days and it’s likely that he will spend the majority of the 2025 season in the big leagues. Whether that includes winning a job out of spring training or getting more seasoning in Charlotte to start the year is unknown at this point however. The organization still has high hopes for the former Indiana prep sensation.
22-year-old Dominican right hander Juan Carela is likely to be protected by the White Sox as well. He was acquired from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline in 2023 in exchange for righty reliever Keynan Middleton. Carela had a solid debut in the system despite a decreased strikeout rate. Over the course of 16 starts with Winston-Salem in High-A, the righty posted a 3.77 ERA with 78 strikeouts and 32 walks in 74 innings. The 6-3, 186 pounder finished his campaign with seven starts in Birmingham and he posted a 3.58 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 13 walks in 32.2 innings.
The White Sox acquired Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa in a trade with the Texas Rangers this past May in exchange for veteran outfielder Robbie Grossman. AHT was originally signed as a 30th round draft pick of the Rangers in 2019. The 6-2, 190 pounder projects as a potential setup man. The 24-year-old posted a 3.24 ERA in 25 innings with the Birmingham Barons in Double-A. The right hander struggled in 8.2 innings with the Charlotte Knights in Triple-A to close out the 2024 season. He also threw nine innings in his second consecutive stint in the Arizona Fall League as well.
Trey McGough is a 26-year-old southpaw who the White Sox acquired in a deadline deal with the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for outfielder Eloy Jimenez. The 6-3, 195 pounder posted a 1.98 ERA in 27.1 innings with the Knights in Triple-A while striking out 33 and walking eight. He was very solid for Triple-A Norfolk in the Baltimore system as well. The lefty was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Mount St. Mary’s University in the 24th round of the 2019 draft.
Wilfred Veras was originally signed as an international free agent by the White Sox out of the Dominican Republic and he’s hit 57 minor league homers. The 21-year-old bats and throws from the right side and he posted a 118 wRC+ this year with the Birmingham Barons. He slashed .267/.319/.424 on the year overall and he could be expected to start next season in Triple-A with Charlotte. He previously posted a 129 wRC+ to close out the 2023 season in the Southern League as well. Veras strikes out too much, doesn’t walk enough and doesn’t have a position defensively to rely on. He’s still really young however and possesses big raw power and some feel to hit.
Low Risk of Being Claimed
Pitchers: Adisyn Coffey, Andrew Dalquist, Caleb Freeman, Jared Kelley, Gil Luna (LHP), Jarold Rosado, Kohl Simas.
Position Players: DJ Gladney, Shawn Goosenberg, Adam Hackenberg, Arxy Hernandez, Luis Pineda, Wilber Sanchez, Colby Smelley, Terrell Tatum
It’s unlikely that any of these players would get selected in the Rule Five Draft. Dalquist is a former California prep who was drafted in the third round in 2019 and he’s been decent in a transition to a relief role. Kelley was given $3 million as a second rounder in 2020 but never lived up to his lofty expectations and he’s pitching in a relief role as well. Jarold Rosado is a 21-year-old righty who the White Sox acquired from the Kansas City Royals at this past trade deadline. He posted a 2.76 ERA in High-A and compiled 68 strikeouts in 55.1 innings. Adisyn Coffey, Caleb Freeman and Gil Luna were all drafted the club and Luna is a southpaw who posted a 2.80 ERA in 45 innings for the Barons this past season.
DJ Gladney is a 23-year-old former over-slot 16th rounder of the White Sox and he recently played in the Arizona Fall League. Gladney hit 16 homers this past season and posted a 138 wRC+ in 24 games in Double-A with the Barons. Terrell Tatum was once a top 30 prospect of the club but the 25-year-old has really struggled in two seasons with Birmingham. Goosenberg, Hackenberg and Smelley were all recent day three picks and Hackenberg could project as a defensive minded backup. Arxy Hernandez held his own in Kannapolis this past season and he was signed as an international free agent similarly to Pineda and Sanchez.
Likely Outcomes for White Sox
Chris Getz seems more focused on completing his overhaul of the franchise behind the scenes than he is with player procurement at the moment but some significant roster decisions await. Garrett Crochet could be the first major domino to fall in the trade market but transactions with take place for the White Sox prior to that. The front office will likely tinker in the margins quite a bit this off-season and that starts with Tuesday’s deadline to protect organizational players from the Rule Five Draft. The White Sox will have the first overall selection in December’s Rule Five Draft so they are likely to make a pick.
Shortstop Colson Montgomery will be added to the 40-man roster prior to the deadline on Tuesday November 19th. Right hander Juan Carela is likely to be added to the roster as well. Anthony Hoopii-Tuionotea, Trey McGough and Wilfred Veras all seem like possibilities as well but the decision makers have a better grasp on these players’ availability and likelihood to be plucked. I’ve been surprised in the past and it wouldn’t be a shock if someone who seems unlikely gets added to the roster as well. The White Sox have plenty of space on the 40-man to maneuver so the next week should indicate how they feel about specific players.
Do you think Garrett Schoenle has a shot? He’s a lefty and he posted an outstanding 2024. I think hes up for the Rule 5 draft as well.