After emerging as one of the most overlooked pieces of the White Sox’s young core, Brooks Baldwin will miss the entire 2026 season, forcing Chicago to lean heavily on thin outfield depth and raising questions about his long-term role.
This past offseason, I identified Chicago White Sox utility man Brooks Baldwin as the most overlooked player in the emerging core.
Baldwin was largely written off after a rough start to the 2025 season. But following a reset in Triple-A Charlotte where he hit 12 home runs with a 1.180 OPS over a 29-game stretch, he carried that momentum back to the big leagues.
From July 3 through the end of the 2025 regular season, Baldwin posted an .804 OPS with nine doubles, eight home runs, and a .482 slugging percentage. He did it while playing all over the field, showing signs of being an uber-capable utility piece who could bring real value as the White Sox transition from rebuilding to contending.
Baldwin was primarily slotted as an outfielder heading into the 2026 season, largely because it offered the clearest path to consistent playing time. He looked the part in spring training, but an arm injury ultimately put his Opening Day status in doubt.
The White Sox placed Baldwin on the 10-day injured list on March 25 with what was initially diagnosed as a right elbow sprain. Now, just two weeks later, it appears to be a worst-case scenario.
According to a report from James Fegan of Sox Machine, Baldwin underwent an internal brace procedure on his throwing elbow and will miss the entire season.
Baldwin is expected to be ready for spring training in 2027, but it’s a significant setback and a lost year of development for a 25-year-old who had a clear opportunity in front of him.
The White Sox outfield has already been hit hard just 10 games into the season, with Baldwin, Everson Pereira, and now Austin Hays all landing on the injured list. That leaves Derek Hill, Tristan Peters, Tanner Murray, and Dustin Harris all on the active roster.
Chicago’s depth is being tested, and on paper, it’s not particularly strong.
While some fans were holding out hope that Baldwin could return and help stabilize the lineup, it now looks like the White Sox will be forced into an extended stretch relying on depth outfielders.
At this point, I’m most curious about where Baldwin fits into the picture in 2027. Assuming no lockout and a normal offseason, the White Sox should be aiming to take another step forward by then. The young core will be further developed, prospects like Sam Antonacci and Braden Montgomery could be in the mix, and there may even be a notable free agent addition or two.
2026 felt like the year for Baldwin to establish himself as a regular at the big league level. Now that he’s lost the season, it’s fair to wonder whether that opportunity will ever fully come back around.