Dusty Baker's Son Officially Signs with the White Sox on Minor League Deal
In this story:
The Chicago White Sox have welcomed another new face to Spring Training.
Bob Nightengale reported on Tuesday that the organization has signed Darren Baker to a minor league deal. This confirms prior reporting from Mark Gonzalez, who noted the two sides were in talks ahead of camp. The latest transaction log states that Baker officially joined the team on February 14.
The infielder is the son of long-time MLB manager Dusty Baker and had previously spent time in the majors with the Washington Nationals in 2024. Over his nine games in the bigs, Baker recorded 7 hits in his 14 player appearances.
The 2025 campaign was spent entirely with the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings. A mainstay in their lineup, Baker suited up for 107 games and recorded a rather underwhelming slash line of .256/.343./318. Nightengale noted that Baker is expected to suit up for Charlotte when the season kicks off next month.
White Sox Add Darren Baker to System
Darren Baker's real value rests on the diamond. Despite what his very brief major league stint might suggest, he has struggled to be an impact hitter as he's moved up the ranks. With that said, the Nationals still found plenty of use for him at the Triple-A level last season, leaning on his defensive versatility.
Baker primarily split up his time between both second base and left field throughout the 2025 campaign. He has also earned some experience manning center field over the course of his minor league career. For what it's worth, when he was called up to the Nationals in 2024, he spent most of his time in the infield.
It surely never hurts to have a handful of utility players in your back pocket. They can prove incredibly useful when and if injuries arise. Baker, in particular, also offers a solid combination of experience and upside, as he is still only 27 years old.
At the same time, GM Chris Getz likely isn't expecting to turn toward Baker any time soon. Luisangel Acuna is well-positioned to be the Sox' go-to utility man. Younger and even more versatile, Acuna came over as part of the Luis Robert Jr. return earlier this offseason. While he struggled at the plate after the Mets brought him up last season, his speed and athleticism have rightfully caught the organization's eye.
Nevertheless, Baker could be an interesting name to keep an eye on in the minors simply because of his famous last name. His father, Dusty, was a former two-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner. He went on to start his equally-famous managing career in 1993 with the San Francisco Giants. Dusty ultimately served as the man in charge of five total franchises (Giants, Cubs, Reds, Nationals, Astros), bringing home a World Series title in 2022 with the Astros before retiring in 2023.
Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
Follow Schuster_Elias