White Sox invite 25 players to spring training as non-roster additions
Credit: Dan Victor/FutureSox
Big league spring training will be highlighted by a plethora of premium White Sox prospects when the 2025 version kicks things off at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona next month. Eight players have been signed to minor league deals with invites to spring training while 16 prospects out of the Pale Hose system will be in attendance early on as well.
White Sox Pitching Prospects Aplenty
Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith were recently identified as the top two left-handed pitching prospects in baseball at MLB Pipeline and both will get a taste of major league spring training. Schultz is a 21-year-old local product who was taken in the first round of the 2022 draft. White Sox general manager Chris Getz recently confirmed reports that the southpaw now stands 6-10, 240 pounds on his ascension to the major leagues. The lefty posted a 2.24 ERA last year in 23 starts in High-A and Double-A with 115 strikeouts and 24 walks over the course of 88.1 innings.
The White Sox took Smith with the 5th overall pick in the 2024 draft and he received a record setting $8 million bonus for the franchise and for left-handed pitchers in general. The 21-year-old threw 7.2 innings with the Winston-Salem Dash and he’s expected to return to High-A for his full season debut. Smith’s fastball is an elite weapon and he averaged 17.3 K/9 in college with an average against of .144.
Schultz and Smith don’t have any opportunity to realistically make the big league club out of spring training but top prospects often get a look in the spring. Both players could be in the majors this year at some point and general manager Chris Getz said on multiple platforms this week that they could be featured at the top of a White Sox rotation in the near future.
Mason Adams, Eric Adler, Trey McGough, Peyton Pallette and Grant Taylor will get a look as well. Taylor is the highest upside starting pitcher in the system outside of Schultz and Smith. The 22-year-old righty pumps his four seamer up to 99 mph regularly and displays an above-average curveball within a four pitch mix. The former second rounder out of LSU is an athletic, strike thrower with a strong build. We ranked Taylor as the fifth overall prospect in the system on our midseason update.
The rest of these pitchers could all make their way to Chicago during the 2025 season. Mason Adams profiles as a back end starter and he threw 120 innings in the high minors with a 2.92 ERA. He’ll be in the rotation for Triple-A Charlotte. Trey McGough is a 26-year-old left-handed reliever who was acquired from Baltimore at the 2024 trade deadline. The southpaw posted a 1.98 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 81.2 innings.
Eric Adler and Peyton Pallette could be standouts in the back of a future Chicago bullpen. Pallette is a former second rounder who converted to relief last year. He posted a 1.80 ERA in Double-A with a stellar fastball, curveball combination. Adler posted a 3.15 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 40 innings with the Barons last year. He profiles as a high leverage relief option if he can keep his command in check.
In addition to the non-roster invitees, pitching prospects from the 40-man roster will be part of the spring training group as well. Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon and Drew Thorpe have the inside track to rotation spots in Chicago as of now. Ky Bush, Juan Carela, Jake Eder, Wikelman Gonzalez, Jairo Iriarte and Nick Nastrini will serve as pitching depth as well.
Pale Hose Position Battles
Catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero are the #32 and #66 prospects in baseball respectively according to the latest update at MLB Pipeline. The White Sox have two of the best young backstops in the sport and both of them are expected to begin the season in Triple-A with Charlotte. Teel is a solid defender with offensive upside. Quero is a 21-year-old switch-hitter who posted a 139 wRC+ with 16 homers across AA/AAA last year. Adam Hackenberg will serve as catching depth in spring training as well.
Braden Montgomery was the secondary piece acquired in this winter’s Garrett Crochet trade with the Boston Red Sox. He hasn’t played a professional game yet after being selected in the first round last July but he’s expected to start the season in High-A with the Winston-Salem Dash. He projects as a right fielder with huge power and MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #55 overall prospect in baseball heading into the season. He’ll audition with the big club for a couple weeks this spring.
The third piece in that same trade might be the player most likely to break camp with the White Sox who isn’t currently on the 40-man roster. Chase Meidroth is a versatile infielder who hit .293/.437/.400 with a 132 wRC+ in 122 games in Triple-A last year. The 23-year-old walks a lot and makes tons of contact. He should have an opportunity to make the big league club out of spring training.
Jacob Gonzalez has struggled at the plate overall since being the 15th overall pick of the 2023 draft by the White Sox. The 22-year-old shortstop likely returns to the Barons to start the year and he has a long track record of success as an amateur to fall back on. Wilfred Veras is a 22-year-old outfielder with big power upside. There are defensive questions but the Dominican posted a 118 wRC+ last year and hit 16 homers in Double-A.
The Tim Elko fans (and there are many) might finally get their wish this season. The 6-4, 250 pounder posted a 117 wRC+ after his promotion to Triple-A last year and he hit 18 homers overall. Elko is a 26-year-old right-handed hitting first baseman but he strikes out a lot and doesn’t walk often. On a bottom of the barrel White Sox club however, the former Ole Miss college sensation should get an opportunity to potentially carve out a big league role. After returning to the organization after a DFA, outfielder Corey Julks will compete for a bench role as well.
40-man roster players will contribute to this competition as well. Cuban third baseman Bryan Ramos and recent day three infielder Brooks Baldwin both reside on the 40-man and will feature prominently on the 2025 club in Chicago. Colson Montgomery will be given an opportunity to make the team as well. He’s a top 40 prospect at MLB Pipeline and Baseball America despite his struggles overall with the Charlotte Knights in 2024.
Montgomery hit 18 homers, drew 69 walks and smacked 21 doubles last year but he scuffled for most of the year. He finished strong with a slash line of .263/.357/.465 down the stretch in Charlotte and he performed like his old self in a brief eight sample during the Arizona Fall League as well. The White Sox believe that the first rounder from the 2021 draft is their shortstop for the immediate future and it should happen sometime early in 2025.
Potential Veteran Additions for White Sox
In 2024, the White Sox brought 24 non-roster invites to spring training and a whopping 14 of those players spent time in Chicago for the 121 loss club. There was a lot of roster churn last year. The expectation is different in 2025 and young players will audition to be on the next great south side team but place holding veterans are often required for swaths of rebuilding seasons.
Catcher Omar Narváez, outfielder Calvin Mitchell and infielders Bobby Dalbec, Andre Lipcius and Nick Maton will attempt to make the big league club. Narváez returns to the Pale Hose after stints with multiple other teams and he’s looking at a deep group of backstops in camp. The Venezuelan played 77 games for the New York Mets over the past two seasons. He has a history with new bench coach Walker McKinven and a defensive awakening was achieved during his time with Milwaukee. He’ll compete for a roster spot with Korey Lee and Matt Thaiss.
29-year-old Bobby Dalbec has massive raw power from the right side but he has posted staggering strikeout rates during his career as well. The 6-4, 225 pounder plays mostly first base and he slashed .252/.337/.479 with 20 homers in Triple-A with Worcester last year. New director of hitting Ryan Fuller will try to unlock some more potential in Dalbec’s profile and the player has a clean path to big league plate appearances.
Andre Lipcius hit .271/.351/.458 with Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Los Angeles Dodgers system last year. The 26-year-old clubbed 25 homers overall and he plays first and third base. The 6-0, 190 pounder was selected in the third round of the 2019 draft out of Tennessee. Pacific Coast League numbers are often dubious markers but he’ll be given an opportunity to prove that they weren’t a blip.
The Pirates took Calvin Mitchell in the second round out of Rancho Bernardo High School in California back in 2017. The 6-0, 220 pound outfielder really struggled offensively as a professional in the Pittsburgh system. Now 25-years-old, Mitchell had some success last year; posting a 114 wRC+ with 22 homers in 122 games with Triple-A El Paso in the San Diego system. He’ll try to earn a spot with the White Sox this spring.
Nick Maton is a Glenwood, Illinois native who has played all over the diamond during his career. He has over 500 plate appearances in the big leagues at this point and there’s a shared history with Ryan Fuller as well. Maton posted an .834 OPS with Triple-A Norfolk in the Orioles’ system last year and he smacked 16 homers. He hits left-handed and could moonlight all over the infield.
Former Guardians’ closer James Karinchak is the latest addition to the organization and he’ll be joined by Dan Altavilla, Justin Dunn and Jonathan Heasley in big league camp. Altavilla throws really hard and posted a 3.51 ERA in Triple-A Omaha last year. The 32-year-old appeared in the majors for just 3.2 innings in 2024. Heasley threw 5.1 innings with the Orioles but posted a 2.64 ERA with the Norfolk Tides over an extended period. The 6-3, 225 pounder is in the mix for a big league bullpen spot.
Justin Dunn is a former first rounder of the New York Mets who has battled injuries throughout his professional career as well. The 6-2, 209 pounder missed the 2024 season as he recovered from shoulder capsule surgery. He’s looking to re-establish himself and while his days as a starter are likely over, his stuff could play up in a bullpen role if healthy.
Karinchak has a long history throwing against the White Sox. He was pretty successful overall as a high-leverage relief option for Cleveland from 2019-2023. The 6-3, 215 pound righty missed the majority of the 2024 season with a shoulder injury. Once he returned to pitch for Triple-A in Columbus, he posted a 2.70 ERA with 12 strikeouts and six walks in 6.2 innings despite a significant drop in fastball velocity (reportedly around 92 mph). The 29-year-old has always walked too many guys but he’s accumulated lots of strikeouts over that time. His addition is a worthwhile gamble for a White Sox’s organization looking to create value at every turn though.
