Climbing prospect Sam Antonacci's versatility could unlock his quick path to the majors, embracing an outfield move to fill a roster need.
Chicago White Sox prospect Sam Antonacci has some hype building around him entering the season. He’s a player that most White Sox fans are going to watch closely in Spring Training.
He ended the 2025 season as the White Sox’s No. 11 prospect on MLB Pipeline and currently ranks as the team’s No. 9 prospect on Baseball America. His rise throughout Chicago’s Minor League system has been impressive.
Antonacci quickly made a name for himself after being selected in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He hit .333 with six doubles, one triple, 14 RBI, 17 walks, and seven stolen bases across 23 games at Single-A Kannapolis.
Following a successful first stint at Single-A in 2024, Antonacci started the 2025 season with High-A Winston-Salem. There, the young infielder continued to show his potential at the plate. He slashed .279/.425/.412 with four home runs, four triples, 29 RBI, and 27 stolen bases in 64 games.
By the middle of July, Antonacci was promoted to Double-A Birmingham. To no surprise, his solid offensive numbers continued with the Barons. He hit .292 with 11 extra base hits, 25 RBI, and 21 stolen bases across his final 49 games of the year.
From Single-A to High-A to Double-A, the 22-year-old has hit well at whichever level he has played. Antonacci won’t ever be a power hitter and will likely never hit double-digit home runs in a season, but he is an extreme contact hitter who won’t strike out a ton.
In his 487 at-bats in his Minor League career, he is hitting .298 with five home runs, 71 RBI, 86 walks, 86 strikeouts, and 55 stolen bases. The biggest thing that sticks out here is that Antonacci has as many walks as strikeouts in the Minors.
It’s only a matter of time until Antonacci makes his Major League debut. While he could start the 2025 campaign at Double-A Birmingham, he should quickly find himself at Triple-A Charlotte early in the season.
Then, the former fifth-round pick will have a chance to make his Major League debut this season. If he continues to hit the ball in the Minors, the White Sox will have no reason to keep him down.
Antonacci is also doing everything he can to make his Major League debut later this year. He is open to moving to the outfield if that’s the position that the White Sox want him to play.
“Being able to have the option under my belt to go wherever they tell me to go to,” Antonacci said at SoxFest. “I take a lot of pride in that. So, whichever glove they need to put on my left hand, I’ll be able to do it.”
Given how well Antonacci has hit down in the Minors, there’s a chance the White Sox could call him up at some point during the 2026 season. His ability to potentially play the outfield could fast-track his debut.