Chris Getz Sees Light At The End Of The Tunnel Of White Sox Rebuild
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Following a third straight 100-loss season in 2025, it'd be fair to ask, when will the White Sox ever win again?
Most projections agree they won't be a playoff contender in 2026, barring major offseason additions. FanGraphs projects a 29th-place finish, MLB.com slots them 29th in recent power rankings, and the DraftKings Sportsbook gives the White Sox the worst odds to win the 2026 American League pennant.
But since tearing down the core that took the White Sox to their most recent playoff appearance in 2021 and beginning a full-scale rebuild, Tuesday may have represented the most significant turning point yet.
White Sox GM Chris Getz excited about future
The White Sox won the lottery and will pick No. 1 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft, giving them a shot at a potential superstar and bonus pool money to bring in more talent in the following rounds.
Add a young core who broke into MLB last year, plus top prospects pushing toward the big leagues, and White Sox general manager Chris Getz smiled ear to ear Tuesday, envisioning what the future could hold on the South Side.
"Last year, as those players were making their way to the big leagues and performing really well –– and we know that's not easy to do –– you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel," Getz said on MLB Network. "And to bring in now a top pick to this group, it's just a big deal. It really is."
The White Sox have already made a few offseason acquisitions, such as starting pitcher Anthony Kay, outfielder Everson Pereira and Rule 5 Draft picks Jedixson Paez and Alexander Albeto, who will have an opportunity at the Major League level in 2026.
They may not be done adding through free agency or trades, but the team is not expected to go after the top tier free agents on the market. Getz has mentioned several times this offseason that the biggest jump will come from internal development of young players and the emergence top prospects.
And there's a lot to like with that group. Shane Smith became an All-Star in his rookie season. Colson Montgomery hit 21 home runs in 71 games. Catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero had quality rookie seasons at and behind the plate. Others like Chase Meidroth, Grant Taylor and Mike Vasil –- just to name a few –– are still 25 or younger and did some intriguing things in 2025.
Getz also has five top-100 prospects to work with, including outfielder Braden Montgomery (No. 35), left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz (No. 40), shortstop Billy Carlson (No. 71), infielder Caleb Bonemer (No. 73) and left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith (No. 88), per MLB.com's rankings.
The most impactful of all could wind up being next year's No. 1 pick.
"It's an opportunity to kind of boost what we have going on right now," Getz said of receiving the No. 1 pick on MLB Network. "It's an honor. It's a huge responsibility, and our group, I'm just so happy for everyone quite honestly. Going into this whole thing, you kind of prepare for all different scenarios emotionally, but man, I can't understate how big of a deal this is."
The 2026 No. 1 overall pick could wind up being UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, who MLB.com says is considered by some to be the best all-around college shortstop prospect since Troy Tulowitzki, who was drafted in 2005.
During the 2025 season at UCLA, Cholowsky slashed .363/.480/.710/1.190 with 23 home runs, 74 RBIs, seven stolen bases, 45 walks and 30 strikeouts in 324 plate appearances. He won four national player of the year awards, as well as Big Ten defensive player of the year and the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove award at shortstop.
Picking first is certainly cause for excitement, but Getz is also intrigued by how that sets up the rest of the draft. There's plenty of work still to be done to turn this rebuild into Major League success, but moments like could be looked back on as major boosts toward that effort.
"I'm still learning more and more about the draft," Getz said on MLB Network. "I'm getting familiar with some of the top names, and it looks like at the top of the draft that it's a really impressive one. But on top of that, when you look at the pool space that you're given and the chance to really walk away from a draft class and do some damage, bring in some real talent. So yeah, I look forward to diving in further, man, and I'm just excited for our fan base and the people that are working for the White Sox."
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Jack Ankony is the beat writer for “Chicago White Sox on SI.” He has been with the Sports Illustrated network since 2022. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism in 2022. Follow Jack on Twitter @ankony_jack
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