3 White Sox Players Who Have Made a Strong Early Impression at Spring Training

While the Chicago White Sox still have plenty of games to go, there are a few players who have already given them reason for optimism heading into 2026.

Jun 25, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor (31) watches his first during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

It's just spring training. It's just spring training. It's just spring training.

The excitement around the Chicago White Sox was already high coming into Cactus League play, but the reasons for optimism have only grown in recent days. Several players have made the most out of their playing time so far, and they could already be starting to separate themselves from the pack. Of course, there is a lot of baseball left to be played, but what is February for if not some playful overreacting?

Let's go over three players who have left a strong impression over the first few days of spring training.

Grant Taylor

Feb 10, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor (31) throws in the bullpen during spring training camp at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Grant Taylor started to turn a lot of heads after his call-up during the 2025 campaign. While he may have only finished with a 4.91 ERA out of the bullpen, the stuff was undeniable. He was throwing a wicked four-seamer that fell just shy of the 100 mph mark, and he struck out 54 batters in his 36.2 innings pitched.

Once eyed as a potential future starter, Taylor has potentially found a home as a lethal relief arm. The expectations were high coming into this year, and he promptly met those expectations against the Rockies on Monday afternoon. Taking his first trip to the mound, Taylor proceeded to pitch a three-up, three-down inning with two strikeouts.

He first faced Drew Avans, who he caught swinging with a nasty 84.5 mph curveball right after his 99.9 mph heater. Brenton Doyle came to the plate next, only for Taylor to draw a quick 1-2 cough before throwing a 100.5 mph pitch low and inside for the called strikeout. Ezequiel Tovar would proceed to ground out after fouling off two fastballs, making it a perfect inning for Taylor.

After seeing that quick work from the righty, it's hard to be anything less than excited about what he can offer during his first full year in the majors.

Brooks Baldwin

Sep 4, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Brooks Baldwin (27) catches a fly ball hit by Minnesota Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall (not pictured) in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Brooks Baldwin doesn't want to lose his spot in the outfield. With the White Sox adding Austin Hays and Luisangel Acuna this offseason, there has been reason to believe Baldwin could see his playing time diminish. While the 25-year-old suited up for 103 games last season, he didn't necessarily do enough to keep Will Venable from considering other options. But he might be doing that now!

Baldwin's start to spring training has been about as good as you could ask for. He most recently used a three-hit day against the Mariners to bump himself up to a .571 batting average in his first seven plate appearances. One of those hits on Tuesday was a perfect rip into right field for the stand-up double that scored Derek Hill.

Nevertheless, Baldwin's best moment came during his first start against the Oakland Athletics. Down 1-2 in the count at the top of the 2nd inning, Baldwin smashed a curveball 402 feet over the fence.

Brooks Baldwin scorches this ball over the fence in RF to get the run back. 402' 102.2 MPH. 3-1 White Sox. pic.twitter.com/x7wW7Tkp3b

— FutureSox (@FutureSox) February 21, 2026

Again, whether or not Baldwin would maintain a steady role in the outfield became a question heading into 2026, but I think it's fair to say that has lit fire under him. If he can keep this up, expect to see him starting in centerfield on Opening Day.

Edgar Quero

Feb 24, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox catcher Edgar Quero (7) bats during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, Arizona. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

Edgar Quero saw the hype around Kyle Teel and said "hold my big leage chew."

Of course, Quero put together a rock-solid rookie campaign in 2025, but a lot of attention continued to fall on Teel. The former first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox, Teel certainly has the makings of a more explosive bat. Still, Quero's consistency at the late was impressive, and he has continued that trend over his first three games in Arizona.

The 22-year-old is looking like a true contact machine. Not only does he have four hits and a walk in his six at-bats, but he has also recorded five RBIs. The first four came in his first start against the Athletics, when he went 3-3 with two perfectly placed bloopers on opposite sides of the field. His latest RBI came on a nicely placed grounder past the Mariners' second baseman.

Edgar Quero singles up the middle, scoring Curtis Mead.

White Sox push it to 6-3 in the 4th. pic.twitter.com/Mb5cnyDS8G

— FutureSox (@FutureSox) February 24, 2026

On top of the impressive plate presence, Quero has also challenged two pitches that were overturned for the Sox. It's encouraging to see him take advantage of the new ABS system so quickly.

With all that said, he does remain a work in progress behind the plate. Whether or not he can be consistent enough defensively will be something to watch closely. He had a costly mistake on Tuesday when throwing the ball over the head of Curtis Mead during a rundown, allowing the Marines to add a run to the board. Framing has also been a well-documented problem for Quero early on, so polishing that open over the next couple of weeks could be key to stealing more starts.