GLENDALE, Ariz. -- ItĄŻs time for the second 2025 White Sox Opening Day roster projection, and that outlook understandably has changed since the opening predictions. LetĄŻs take a look.
Catcher (2): Korey Lee, Matt Thaiss
Others: Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, Omar Narváez
Keep an eye on Teel, the No. 32 prospect in baseball (per MLB Pipeline), who homered in his first at-bat off No. 1 prospect Roki Sasaki during a live BP, and Quero, at No. 65 overall, who are on the fast track to the Majors. ItĄŻs a position of clear strength.
First base (1): Andrew Vaughn
Others: Tim Elko, Bobby Dalbec, Brandon Drury, Joey Gallo
Vaughn is embarking on his fifth season with the White Sox, under his sixth manager in six big league Spring Trainings, having slashed .253/.310/.415 with 72 home runs, 110 doubles and 274 RBIs over his career. The 26-year-old has another level of untapped results to be found. Elko has hit well at every Minor League stop during the past two years and has big power.
Second base (1): Josh Rojas
Others: Brooks Baldwin, Lenyn Sosa
Rojas, one of the White Sox free-agent acquisitions, has played more career games at third base (282) than any other spot, but second base ranks second (150). Sosa finished 2024 with a 1.018 OPS over his final 21 games, can play across the infield and is out of Minor League options. He has looked solid during Spring Training, entering Monday hitting .389.
Shortstop (1): Colson Montgomery
Others: Chase Meidroth, Rojas, Jacob Amaya, Baldwin
Montgomery, the No. 39 prospect overall (per MLB Pipeline) was scratched from the lineup on Feb. 27 due to back spasms and missed 10 straight days of games. Does Montgomery, who has looked fluid defensively, still have enough time to earn the starting nod? It still says here, "Yes." DonĄŻt overlook Meidroth, who has 199 walks and a .425 on-base percentage over three seasons and 255 games in the Minors and has played shortstop and second during camp. Amaya remains the sturdiest defensive option.
Third base (1): Miguel Vargas
Others: Bryan Ramos, Rojas, Drury, Dalbec
Vargas will get the bulk of his time at third, according to manager Will Venable, although he can move to first to give Vaughn at-bats as designated hitter. Vargas will try to bounce back from a miserable 2024 debut with the White Sox when he hit .104 over 42 games following a trade from the Dodgers.
Outfield (3): Luis Robert Jr., Mike Tauchman, Michael Taylor
Others: Dominic Fletcher, Oscar Colás, Gallo, Corey Julks, Andrew Benintendi, Austin Slater
Roster locks Benintendi (broken bone in right hand) and Slater (left oblique strain) remain uncertain for Opening Day. The big question is whether Robert will be part of the White Sox by the time Spring Training ends. If he is not traded, can he produce numbers more akin to his All-Star campaign of 2023 as opposed to those from his injury-plagued struggles of ĄŻ24? He has looked very good through the first half of camp.
Designated hitter (1): Ramos
Others: Vaughn, Elko, Vargas, Gallo, Col¨˘s, Dalbec, Drury
There doesnĄŻt appear to be a full-time candidate, as Venable has the option to rotate players and give time off the field for everyday position players. Ramos is working in all areas of his game after not throwing early due to elbow soreness.
Bench/Utility (3): Drury, Sosa, Fletcher
Others: Meidroth, Baldwin, Amaya, Gallo, Dalbec
If Meidroth does not force his way into the starting lineup, is he considered someone who could play three or four times per week? Drury, as a veteran with a non-roster invite, has had an impressive camp.
Starting pitchers (5): Jonathan Cannon, Martín Pérez (L), Davis Martin, Sean Burke, Shane Smith
Others: Bryse Wilson, Drew Thorpe, Nick Nastrini
Thorpe moves to live BP on Tuesday, working back from a couple of offseason setbacks in relation to a Sept. 7 surgery shaving down a bone spur in his right elbow, requiring a cortisone shot on Jan. 24. But he wonĄŻt be available at the seasonĄŻs outset. Smith, the No. 1 pick in December's Rule 5 Draft, has pushed his way into the rotation picture, while Cannon, Martin and P¨Śrez are Opening Day candidates.
Bullpen (8): Justin Anderson, Mike Clevinger, Cam Booser (L), Gus Varland, Penn Murfee, Fraser Ellard (L), Wilson, Tyler Gilbert (L)
Others: Jordan Leasure, Jonathan Heasley, James Karinchak, Steven Wilson, Brandon Eisert (L), Jared Shuster (L), Owen White
Prelander Berroa, a late-inning, leverage option, undergoes season-ending Tommy John surgery this week. Clevinger, a non-roster invite, has hit all the Spring Training marks in pushing toward his first career opportunity as a closer, although Venable doesnĄŻt seem inclined to name a set candidate for that role. Nobody was more impressive than right-hander Grant Taylor, the White Sox No. 7 prospect, who was reassigned to Minor League camp.