Let’s be honest: there isn’t much going on here for the Chicago White Sox. Luis Robert is still in the middle of Chicago’s lineup, but things get pretty thin for the White Sox beyond Andrew Vaughn. With Martin Perez penciled in as the Opening Day starter, it’s clear that pitching isn’t going to be what makes Chicago successful. This is a team that will send you to a search engine to figure out who is on the field at any given time.
Breakout – Miguel Vargas
It’s clear that the opportunity is here for just about anyone in the organization to step up. If we have to pick one player, though, it might as well be Miguel Vargas. The former Dodgers’ prospect has the pedigree, but in three seasons, he’s yet to break .195 at the major league level. It’s been a different story for Vargas in the minor leagues, though, and now he just needs to take the next step in the big leagues.
Sleeper – Josh Rojas
In 2022, Josh Rojas stole 23 bases in 125 games, sure to capture our attention. Rojas doesn’t hit for much power, and his batting average has dipped in the last two years. However, he’s slated to bat in the middle of the order for Chicago while receiving regular playing time. That gives Rojas a chance at 20 stolen bases while accumulating some counting stats.
Bust – Andrew Benintendi
Andrew Benintendi is one of the few names that is recognizable in Chicago. He’s going to play every day and bat at the top of the order. However, that doesn’t mean there will be much production to follow. He did hit 20 home runs last year, but that came with a .229 batting average and no speed. It was also a follow-up from a combined 10 home runs over the past two seasons. Counting stats are also difficult to come by with the White Sox.
Hitting Prospect to Know – Edgar Quero
Prior to a late-season injury, Edgar Quero was on his way to making his major league debut. Quero made all the right adjustments last season and ended with 26 games in Triple-A. He hit .295 with four home runs and 17 RBI after 12 home runs and 53 in 72 games at Double-A.
Pitching Prospect to Know – Noah Schultz
Talk about the upside and tools. Noah Schultz has a lot to work with here, but he’s also 6-foot-9 and has some inconsistencies to work through. He’s also not a finished product yet after pitching just a combined 88.1 innings last year, ending in Double-A. The success was certainly there, though, with a 2.24 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 155 strikeouts.
C: Korey Lee
Prediction: .225 AVG, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 35 R, 5 SB
There are some serious catching prospects, Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, coming through the system, but Korey Lee begins the year as the starter. He struggled to make contact last season with a 31% strikeout rate while hitting .210 in 125 games. Lee also doesn’t generate much power, with 12 home runs, 37 RBI and a .138 ISO.
1B: Andrew Vaughn
Prediction: .250 AVG, 22 HR, 75 RBI, 65 R, 1 SB
There are few solid veterans in Chicago, but Andrew Vaughn is one of them. Vaughn continues to be a solid producer, but with a .156 ISO and 9.3% barrel rate, he doesn’t do much that truly stands out. On a better team, Vaughn’s counting stats might be better, but our expectations have been reasonable for now.
2B: Josh Rojas
Prediction: .240 AVG, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 45 R, 15 SB
This is a symptom of being on a team like Chicago, but Josh Rojas is very much miscast as a middle-of-the-order hitter. A .111 ISO and .336 slugging percentage aren’t going to generate much production, but Rojas did steal 23 bases in 2022, and regular playing time could help him get close to that number once again.
3B: Miguel Vargas
Prediction: .230 AVG, 15 HR, 60 RBI, 50 R, 5 SB
The former top prospect is an interesting player if he truly gets an extended look this season at the major league level. We are getting close to time running out for Vargas, as in parts of three major league seasons, he’s yet to hit higher than .195. Last year, Vargas hit just .150 despite hitting .290 in Triple-A. Vargas’ true power has also yet to be on display as he looks to see if he can translate minor-league success into major-league production.
SS: Colson Montgomery
Prediction: .210 AVG, 12 HR, 55 RBI, 45 R, 4 SB
The former first-round pick and top prospect has lost some of his luster, but we are slated to see what Colson Montgomery can do in the major league. That doesn’t mean we have prolific expectations after he hit just .214 in 130 games last year in the minor leagues. With 18 home runs and 63 RBI, Montgomery does have tools, but it’s unclear if that can turn into MLB production.
LF: Joey Gallo
Prediction: .171 AVG, 15 HR, 45 RBI, 30 R, 2 SB
A broken hand for Andrew Benintendi means we get to see Joey Gallo on a daily basis to begin the season. The story hasn’t changed much for Gallo; he has prolific power but generally fails to put the bat on the ball. Gallo’s going to strike out around 40% of the time, hit for a terrible average, but post a strong barrel rate and punish the ball when he makes contact. If only that had happened more often.
CF: Luis Robert
Prediction: .245 AVG, 25 HR, 75 RBI, 75 R, 25
In a perfect world, we could truly count on Luis Robert to stay healthy and be a prolific player. The lack of a supporting cast is also an issue here, but health is the biggest issue after Robert finished with 14 home runs and 23 stolen bases in 100 games last year. Over the past few seasons, and health has come into play, Robert’s power metrics have been up and down the last few years, so caution is appropriate.
RF: Mike Tauchman
Prediction: .245 AVG, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 60 R, 7 SB
We’ve seen quick flashes of success from Mike Tauchman previously, but nothing more. While he’s leading off for the White Sox, Tauchman has no speed and limited power, which greatly limits our expectations for him.
DH: Lenyn Sosa
Prediction: .250 AVG, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 50 R, 2 SB
Lenyn Sosa isn’t a true DH and instead is just a semi-viable bat. He doesn’t walk, has no speed, and posted just a .105 ISO and 6.1% barrel rate last year. There’s only so much production we can expect with those metrics, and it’s not much.
SP1: Martin Perez
Prediction: 4.75 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 110 K, 6 W
Only on the White Sox will Martin Perez ever be confused with a number-one starter. The left-hander doesn’t throw with much velocity and nor does he generate many strikeouts. Allowing 1.47 home runs per nine innings isn’t a recipe for success, and the gap between his 4.53 ERA and 5.38 xERA last year doesn’t generate optimism.
SP2: Jonathan Cannon
Prediction: 4.60 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 105 K, 6 W
Things are really difficult with Jonathan Cannon, who only strikes out about 6.5 batters per nine innings. Cannon hasn’t shown the ability to overpower opposing hitters in the minor leagues, and we’d like to see a higher ground ball rate than 38.1% from a year ago.
SP3: Davis Martin
Prediction: 4.55 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 100 K, 5 W
Things are running thin for the White Sox in the rotation, but Davis Martin has a spot. He strikes out about a batter per inning, but Martin also walked 4.14 batters per nine innings last year. With a 4.32 ERA in 50 innings over 11 games and 10 starts, Martin could be a decent streaming option, although we know wins will be hard to come by.
SP4: Sean Burke
Prediction: 4.70 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 115 K, 6 W
It was an interesting year for Sean Burke in Triple-A, as he made 19 starts. Over 71.2 innings, Burke did strike out 12.93 batters per nine innings, but that also came with a 4.77 ERA and an unsightly 5.15 walks per nine innings. That, combined with 1.63 home runs per nine innings, gives us some pause heading into 2025. Burke did pitch 19 innings with the White Sox last year and finished with a 1.42 ERA (3.32 FIP), but things likely won’t be that easy this time around.
SP5: Bryse Wilson
Prediction: 4.80 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 80 K, 4 W
While Bryse Wilson can certainly eat innings, there isn’t much else there. He did have a 4.04 ERA, but his 5.35 xERA paints a more realistic picture as he also allowed 1.72 home runs per nine innings. Wilson doesn’t generate much in the way of strikeouts, so there’s little upside.
Closer: Justin Anderson
Prediction: 4.40 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 55 K, 10 SV
There’s going to be limited save opportunities in Chicago’s bullpen, but right now, Justin Anderson stands in place to receive a chunk of them. Anderson had a gap between 2019 and 2024 in major league action and only saved one game last year. He did strikeout more than a batter per inning, but 5.40 walks per nine innings will make it difficult to sustain success.
SU1: Fraser Ellard
Prediction: 4.30 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 50 K, 5 SV
Walks are going to be an issue here, and while Fraser Ellard should generate some strikeouts, it’s hard to much of a cause for optimism. Last year, Ellard saved one game while posting a 3.75 ERA in 24 innings.
SU2: Gus Varland
Prediction: 3.95 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 55 K, 5 SV
While he might not be a potential closer, Gus Varland could be the best reliever in Chicago’s bullpen. He struck out a batter per inning last year while posting a 3.42 ERA (3.13 FIP) while working through a .364 BABIP. Varland also kept hitters off balance with just a 5.1% barrel rate.
