Right-handed reliever Ben Peoples has been dominant for Triple-A Charlotte this season, and the return from the Adrian Houser trade is beginning to look like a legitimate bullpen option for the White Sox.
When the White Sox traded starting pitcher Adrian Houser to the Tampa Bay Rays at the 2025 trade deadline, Chicago received three players back in the deal.
The headliner was infielder Curtis Mead, a former top 100 prospect who hadn't quite reached his potential, especially from an offensive standpoint, in Tampa Bay. The White Sox were able to give Mead an extended look in the big leagues during the second half of the 2025 season, and while he clearly had potential, he struggled to produce and left himself on the roster bubble heading into 2026.
When it became apparent that Mead wasn't going to make the White Sox Opening Day roster, he was designated for assignment and eventually traded to the Washington Nationals. The White Sox already appear to have done well for themselves in that trade for Mead, with catcher Boston Smith off to a strong start to his professional career. And the Adrian Houser trade isn't done producing just because Mead is no longer in the White Sox organization.
The White Sox also received two right-handed pitchers from Tampa Bay in the deal: Duncan Davitt and Ben Peoples.
Davitt is currently the No. 30 prospect in the White Sox organization by MLB Pipeline. He's a starting pitcher who made his MLB debut out of the bullpen for the White Sox earlier this season after being added to the 40-man roster in December to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
Peoples won't be a name you see on any top prospect lists. He's a career relief pitcher who turned 25 years old last week. But it's starting to look like he could be the most valuable piece of that trade. Peoples has been dominating in Triple-A Charlotte this season and is making a case to be called up to the MLB bullpen as the White Sox continue to cycle through arms and search for the right bullpen mix to help them both now and in the future. Ben Peoples has both the production and the stuff to potentially develop into a high-leverage arm.
In 13 appearances this season for Charlotte, Peoples is 2-0 with a 0.49 ERA across 18.1 innings pitched. He's allowed just one run all season with 22 strikeouts and a 0.92 WHIP.
On Tuesday night, Peoples recorded his first career save, slamming the door on a 5-3 Knights victory with a 1-2-3 ninth inning that included two strikeouts. He uses three pitches: a changeup, a slider, and a four-seam fastball that has been touching 96 mph with regularity this season.
Just yesterday, the White Sox made another trade to bring in Trevor Richards as they continue searching for the right mix of bullpen arms and innings. But sometimes a young player forces the issue, and right now, it's getting difficult to justify keeping Peoples in the minor leagues.