With Kyle Teel on the injured list and the trade deadline approaching, the Chicago White Sox are working hard to acquire a catcher. Chris Getz is on the phone, calling teams with expendable backstops and trying to find the right fit for this White Sox roster.

As fun as it might be to speculate about the White Sox taking a big swing and landing a catcher like Shea Langeliers, Hunter Goodman, or Adley Rutschman, all All-Stars for their respective teams with club control beyond 2026, any of those deals would require an unrealistic haul of prospects from the White Sox at this time. If Chicago is going to part with some of the top talent in its farm system, it would likely be for a controllable starting pitcher rather than a catcher who makes the organization's future a bit crowded.

The White Sox don't need a franchise catcher. They just need a competent replacement for Kyle Teel to help them reach the postseason. The tandem of Edgar Quero and Drew Romo is nowhere near good enough. And there should be plenty of options available at the deadline that don't cost an arm and a leg but still offer a clear upgrade.

Here are five catchers who are realistic candidates for the Chicago White Sox to land in a trade ahead of the upcoming deadline.

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Jonah Heim was traded to the Athletics by the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations on May 4. He's headed for free agency at the end of 2026, and in 56 games between the two teams, he has posted a .728 OPS with nine home runs.

Heim is a switch hitter, but he performs much better as a right-handed hitter against lefties. That fits perfectly with what the White Sox want as they look to balance out their lineup. He also has valuable postseason experience as a player who won the 2023 World Series with the Texas Rangers and started nearly every game during that postseason run.

The Athletics are completely out of the race and have no reason to keep Heim past the deadline. He should come cheap, and while he won't be a White Sox savior and has some defensive shortcomings, he's an upgrade over the team's current catching situation and wouldn't cost Chicago any top prospects.

Ryan Jeffers doesn't have the same name recognition as Rutschman, Goodman, or Langeliers, but his impact on the lineup could be just as significant. After missing nearly two months with a fractured left hamate bone, Jeffers returned to Minnesota on July 10 and hasn't missed a beat. In 44 games this season, he's batting .284 with nine home runs and a .933 OPS.

He provides average defense, but an incredible bat that is supported by the underlying metrics. Jeffers ranks above average in nearly every peripheral statistic and is poised to cash in with a lucrative contract when he reaches free agency after the 2026 season.

Of the realistic options laid out here, Jeffers would definitely cost the most. There will also be plenty of competition for his services, as the New York Yankees are one team that appears to have circled Jeffers as a possible target. Another question is whether the Minnesota Twins decide to sell. They're 4.5 games back in the AL Central and 2.5 games out of an AL Wild Card spot. The Twins could choose to hang on to Jeffers with hopes of making a run. And if they do deal him, will there be a tax for trading him within the division

? For those reasons, I'd be surprised if Jeffers ended up in a White Sox uniform. But the on-paper fit couldn't be better.

Now let's say Minnesota decides to go half in and half out. The Twins may not want to trade Ryan Jeffers, but Victor Caratini is another catcher on an expiring contract who should have a healthy trade market.

Caratini is batting .234 with seven home runs and a .683 OPS this season. He's a switch hitter, but one who performs better from the left side of the plate. And while he has one of the worst throwing arms in the sport, Caratini is an excellent pitch blocker and pitch framer. You'd feel confident about him calling games for your starting pitchers in the playoffs.

It wouldn't be a trade to write home about, but it would definitely address a White Sox need in a cost-effective way.

If the White Sox decide to take the defensive route, New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens is the guy for them. Torrens has a .618 OPS in 62 games this season. That's well below league average, but still better than what both Quero and Romo have provided.

The real appeal with Torrens, though, is his defense. He's one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, if not the best. He has an elite pop time, is an elite pitch framer, and is a very good blocker.

Torrens is also likely to be the cheapest acquisition on this list. He doesn't have the offensive production to command a significant return. He's on an expiring contract, and the New York Mets are one of the few teams in the sport that will undoubtedly be conducting a fire sale at the deadline.

Tyler Stephenson of the Cincinnati Reds is probably my favorite option of the bunch. Some of these catchers give you a bit of a Goldilocks situation. Too hot, too cold, too expensive, too cheap. Stephenson is just right.

He's a capable offensive player and an above-average offensive catcher, with a .712 OPS and eight home runs during the 2026 season. From 2020 through 2025, Stephenson posted an OPS+ above 100 every year but one. And while he's one of the worst catchers in baseball at pitch framing, he leads the sport in blocks above average and ranks among the top three in the ABS challenge system.

Stephenson brings more to the table, both offensively and defensively, than any catcher currently on the White Sox roster. He also got his first taste of postseason experience with the 2025 Reds and contributed an RBI double in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.

Stephenson would be a good addition for Chicago, but he's not the hottest name on the market like Jeffers and probably wouldn't require the same return. Stephenson is also an intriguing option because the Reds have quite a few pieces who could benefit the White Sox, opening the door for a package deal that addresses multiple needs.

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Those are your names to watch. Five catchers on expiring contracts with teams that should be selling their rentals. These aren't players or additions who will break the bank and force the White Sox to trade away their most valued prospects. But they are significant enough to make Chicago a better team for the homestretch of the 2026 season and a potential postseason run.

The trade deadline isn't until August 3, but with reports indicating that the White Sox are working hard to bring in a catcher, one of these guys could find himself in a White Sox uniform before we know it.