Making A Final Opening Day Roster Prediction for the Chicago White Sox

With the Chicago White officially one week out from Opening Day, there is only one thing left to do!

Several players have already been sent down to the minors, making it a lot easier to envision Will Venable's initial 26-man group. Let's try to take one last stab at guessing who the manager will have in the American Family Field clubhouse next week!

Starting Pitchers

Shane Smith (RHP)
Anthony Kay (LHP)
Sean Burke (RHP)
Davis Martin (RHP)
Erick Fedde (RHP)

The Chicago White Sox announced their starting rotation earlier this week, so there is nothing left to project! With that said, I wouldn't get used to this lineup. The Sox continue to have a long list of potential starters in the minors – let alone arms in the bullpen who could put pressure on guys like Sean Burke and Erick Fedde. It's only going to be a matter of time before some changes are made.

Bullpen

Grant Taylor (RHP)
Jordan Leasure (RHP)
Jordan Hicks (RHP)
Seranthony Dominguez (RHP)
Chris Murphy (LHP)
Sean Newcomb (LHP)
Brandon Eisert (LHP)
Jedixson Paez (RHP)

The White Sox' current starting rotation leaves something to be desired, which will make the bullpen that much more important. Well, they're in luck! This could quickly emerge as an area of strength for the Sox this season. They have an extremely versatile group at their disposal, as well as a good mix of both young and veteran arms. Seranthony Dominguez showed last season that he can be one of the top closers in baseball, while Sean Newcomb and Jordan Hicks provide a proven skill set. Meanwhile, Grant Taylor is a flamethrowing righty who is one of the team's highest-upside arms. Chris Murphy is also heading into Year 3 after a breakout 2025 campaign and strong spring training.

Several of the team's top youngsters could also find themselves as part of this group in the near future. The only bummer is that Mike Vasil will not be one of them. The Sox announced that he will be sidelined for all of 2026 due to Tommy John surgery.

Catcher

Edgar Quero (C)
Korey Lee (BENCH)

What was going to be one of the toughest roster decisions became a lot easier due to some unfortunate circumstances. Second-year catcher Kyle Teel pulled his hamstring in the World Baseball Classic. The injury is expected to sideline him for the first several weeks of the season, opening the door for Korey Lee to make the Opening Day roster.

Before Teel went down, manager Will Venable was going to have to think hard about whether he wanted to carry three catchers. Lee was making a strong case with his leadership and strong plate presence in camp. If this continues in the majors, Venable's tough decision has only been delayed.

Infielders

Munetaka Murakami (1B)
Colson Montgomery (SS)
Chase Meidroth (2B)
Curtis Mead (BENCH/3B)
Miguel Vargas (3B)
Lenyn Sosa (BENCH/2B/3B)

No surprises here. The White Sox

Outfielders

Andrew Benintendi (LF)
Austin Hays (RF)
Luisangel Acuña (CF)
Everson Pereira (BENCH)
Jarred Kelenic (BENCH)

This is easily the hardest department to predict. Andrew Benintendi and Austin Hays have the corners on lock, but center field continues to feel relatively open, as do the depth spots. Most signs point toward Luisangel Acuña handling the bulk of the middle outfield duties. He certainly has the athleticism to do it, but what about his bat? Can he find enough consistency to warrant being a mainstay in the lineup?

This is why Brooks Baldwin could have the edge on making the Opening Day roster ... but he has also been dealing with elbow soreness and hasn't played since March 6. Whether or not he will be healthy enough to begin the season is now a legitimate question, and it's why we have left him off the list for now.

Instead, Everson Pereira seems likely to make the cut. He was banged up for a good chunk of camp, but the Sox have seemed committed to him and his potential to be an explosive bat. Speaking of which, Jarred Kelenic has impressed in Arizona. The former top prospect can also bring some decent experience to a team that is trying to take the next competitive step.

The real question for the White Sox is when Braden Montgomery hears his name called. The organization's No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline, he very well could be the Sox' center fielder of the future. The fact that he is starting in Double-A may push his debut further into the season, but it's almost a certainty that Montgomery is in the bigs this year.

For what it's worth, this current projection means Tristan Peters and Derek Hill were the odd men out. If either actually did happen to make the roster, my money would be on Hill. He brings some great speed and defensive instincts, as well as a deep level of MLB experience that will be rare in this dugout.

Injured List?

Kyle Teel
Brooks Baldwin

Kyle Teel is almost a lock to begin the year on the injury list. The status of Brooks Baldwin, on the other hand, remains to be seen. If he is able to suit up, he might replace Kelenic for one of the last outfield spots. His ability to play multiple positions makes him very valuable defensively.