Building blocks of future to play together for first time in Spring Breakout
Scott Merkin
@scottmerkinGLENDALE, Ariz. -- White Sox general manager Chris Getz certainly could be excused for featuring a broad smile or three while watching his roster in action during Sunday afternoon¡¯s Spring Breakout contest against the Rockies at Camelback Ranch.
In the present, it¡¯s a perfect way to showcase their vast Minor League talent. But it¡¯s also a representation of what things might look like when this latest White Sox rebuild moves into a contention phase, with 23 of the team¡¯s Top 30 prospects, per MLB Pipeline, in action in Glendale. Six White Sox players in the Top 100 overall also will be showing off their array of talents.
¡°So much of our future is playing in that game,¡± Getz said. ¡°We've got guys that can be in the big leagues fairly soon and also some guys that can be there in a year or two.
¡°There's impactful guys. There's guys that can play winning baseball for the Chicago White Sox. It certainly symbolizes a lot more than just a game of Spring Training, just because of the talent that's on that roster.¡±
Much of the Spring Training attention has focused upon the high-end White Sox pitching prospects, and understandably so. That group is led by left-handers Noah Schultz (Chicago's No. 1 prospect and No. 16 overall), Hagen Smith (Chicago's No. 3, No. 34 overall) and right-hander Grant Taylor (Chicago's No. 7).
All three were quite impressive during Spring Training. Taylor actually might be one of the more impressive pitching prospects in the game during the last five weeks, with a demeanor and skill-set looking Major League ready even with 19 1/3 Minor League innings under his belt. But there¡¯s clearly more than these three players for the newly-minted No. 6 Minor League system, according to MLB Pipeline.
Catchers Kyle Teel (No. 2, No. 32 overall) and Edgar Quero (No. 6, No. 65) are part of Sunday¡¯s action, as are the Montgomerys: shortstop Colson (No. 4, No. 39) and outfielder Braden (No. 5, No. 54). Colson came into a camp with a focus on winning the White Sox starting nod, but will begin his season at Triple-A Charlotte and work with some of the Breakout players after Sunday.
More on Spring Breakout 2025
¡°You look at that and it¡¯s a bunch of really good players, and it¡¯s something the fans should be really excited for,¡± Colson said of the White Sox Breakout roster. ¡°It¡¯s going to be really cool to hang out with those guys and play a game. Didn¡¯t get to play last year because of the weather. It will be fun.¡±
Last year¡¯s inaugural Spring Breakout contest between the White Sox and Cubs was rained out at Sloan Park. The forecast for Sunday is 72 and partly cloudy, so no worries there.
All six of the Top 100 prospects were in 2025 big league camp for the White Sox, as was first baseman Tim Elko, relievers Peyton Pallette and Eric Adler, and infielder Jacob Gonzalez (No. 14 White Sox prospect), to name a few more who are scheduled for the Breakout. Talented Minor Leaguers such as 19-year-old outfielder George Wolkow (No. 10) and shortstop William Bergolla (No. 16) will be there, too.
Overall, Spring Training work schedules for pitchers will dictate whether they are on the mound Sunday, and not every rostered player will get into the game. But it¡¯s still a special moment for these young players as they look to the future together.
¡°Honestly, every time we talk about it, we get really excited. All we can do is smile. It¡¯s a really exciting future to think about,¡± Pallette said. ¡°Just having all these guys that are young coming up, Hagen, Schultz, Montgomery, all these guys are really good players. The future is really really bright.¡±
¡°This is great exposure for anybody who gets in the game, anybody on the roster, because they get some degree of publicity,¡± White Sox director of player development Paul Janish said. ¡°It¡¯s a way for us to give them a nod too for doing a good job.¡±
Those familiar with rebuilds understand rarely does player development run perfectly. Players targeted to play major roles might not ever reach that level, while on the flip side, lesser known prospects could make a significant impact.
Questions such as those won¡¯t be on the White Sox collective minds Sunday. It¡¯s all about how good things might be.
¡°Everyone is pretty good,¡± said outfielder Nick McLain (No. 28 White Sox prospect), who will be part of Sunday¡¯s excitement. ¡°We have a lot of the right guys, a lot of the right characters too on and off the field. That¡¯s a huge part of getting things going the right way.¡±
¡°It was a great idea for Major League Baseball to put together,¡± Getz said. ¡°And for us right now, considering where we're at as an organization, it's even more exciting.¡±