With versatility becoming a priority, the White Sox enter 2026 with a wide-open fight for its important utility spot.
Chicago White Sox GM Chris Getz wants the organization to lean heavily on young player development in 2026 as they continue taking steps toward contention.
After a 60–102 record in 2025, even a strong second half isn’t enough for the front office to justify pushing all their chips in. The White Sox are probably still a year away. And while they may bring in a few veterans on short-term deals to supplement the core, it’d be surprising to see them block any of their developing talent with win-now acquisitions.
A handful of roster spots remain unresolved heading into the winter. Several of those jobs will likely be decided in Spring Training, when young players compete to prove they belong on a more athletic, more versatile 2026 roster. That’s been the clear direction Chicago is taking after cutting Mike Tauchman loose, exploring a DH-heavy role for Andrew Benintendi, and prioritizing flexibility everywhere else.
With that in mind, one of the more intriguing battles to watch is Chicago’s search for its primary utility option. And the candidates are already on the 40-man roster.
Let’s break them down.
Brooks Baldwin
The early favorite. I’d be stunned if Baldwin didn’t have a spot on the 2026 roster. The question, in my mind, isn’t whether he makes the team — it’s what role he settles into.
With Tauchman gone, Benintendi potentially shifting off left field, and Luis Robert Jr. always carrying some injury risk, Baldwin could easily become a regular in a corner-outfield spot rather than a utilityman. That’s where he spent most of his time in 2025.
Even so, Baldwin's infield background keeps him in the mix for the utility job if the White Sox sign one or two veteran outfielders who need regular at-bats. He might fall into a different category than the rest of the names on this list, but he’s still a serious contender for a Swiss-army-knife role.
Tanner Murray
Acquired a few weeks ago from the Tampa Bay Rays alongside Everson Pereira, Tanner Murray feels like a sneaky-good depth add who looks MLB-ready heading into spring.
Murray played second, third, shortstop, and all three outfield positions last season with Triple-A Durham. In 137 games, he hit .241 with 29 doubles, 18 home runs, and a .700 OPS — not his strongest AVG/OBP year, but with noticeably more impact in the bat.
He’s a right-handed hitter, a former fourth-round pick, and just turned 26.
I'd imagine the White Sox will want to cut back on the power and swing-and-miss to make Murray a more consistent offensive producer. With a strong spring, Murray could absolutely play his way onto the Opening Day roster.
Curtis Mead
Mead also came over from Tampa Bay, though in a separate deal. The White Sox acquired him at the 2025 trade deadline in the Adrian Houser move, and he played 41 games in Chicago after the deal. The .584 OPS doesn’t match the eye test — White Sox fans saw better flashes than that.
Mead is a former top prospect known for his bat-to-ball skills and ability to drive the ball. He showed solid bat speed with Chicago, but his launch angle remains the key. With more lift, a lot of those hard line drives turn into extra-base hits and home runs.
Defensively, he’s strictly an infielder — mostly the corners — though he can slide around in a pinch. If the White Sox sign a first baseman in free agency, Mead probably starts on the outside looking in. But he’s the kind of player Ryan Fuller and the hitting department might be able to unlock with an offseason of adjustments.
Ben Cowles
The White Sox claimed Cowles off waivers from the Cubs in early September and kept him on the 40-man through the offseason. He struggled in 15 games with Triple-A Charlotte after being claimed, pulling his season OPS down to .671.
But the résumé prior to 2025 is still interesting.
A 10th-round pick by the Yankees in 2021, Cowles worked his way through the farm system with consistent offensive production. While his career high in home runs is just 10, he regularly posted OPS marks above .800 with double-digit steals. With Double-A Somerset in 2024, he logged an .848 OPS with nine homers, 25 doubles, and 14 stolen bases.
The White Sox saw enough to take a September gamble, though they haven’t seen that upside translate yet. Cowles spent most of 2025 playing second, third, and shortstop with the Iowa Cubs, with shortstop being his primary home.