It wouldn't be unreasonable to say that the Chicago White Sox are the best story in Major League Baseball in 2026. That's due to the way they've outperformed expectations, but also because of the ways in which they've won.

The White Sox have had their fair share of breakout seasons from future All-Stars on the roster, but they've also had unsung heroes and a wave of young talent contribute to a majority of their wins.

12 different players have made their MLB debuts in a White Sox uniform in 2026, and that doesn't include players like Tristan Peters, who had brief stints elsewhere before shining in their first real extended MLB opportunity. Peters, for example, appeared in four games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025.

But perhaps the most exciting part of it all is the fact that Chicago isn't done adding rookies to the 2026 team. As the White Sox make a push for the postseason and an AL Central title, they'll get help from more call-ups as the season goes on.

Here's a look at the players who are next up and could be making their MLB debuts for the White Sox in the coming months, adding to the growing list of rookie contributors. Barring an injury, I expect these call-ups to come almost exclusively on the pitching side.

The White Sox were seriously considering calling up left-handed pitching prospect Hagen Smith for his MLB debut last weekend, as the team needed a starter for Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A rainout of the series finale against the Atlanta Braves allowed Chicago to extend its starting rotation, pushing everybody back one day and eliminating the need to call up Smith.

He then proceeded to give up eight runs in 4.1 innings pitched, allowing four home runs in the game for Triple-A Charlotte in his most recent start. Smith is now being shut down from throwing for two weeks with a shoulder impingement. 

I still think we'll see Hagen Smith in a White Sox uniform before the 2026 season is over.

At this point, he feels like the starting pitcher who is closest to being MLB-ready, and the White Sox could simply be waiting for Smith to get healthy and regain some confidence before throwing him into the fire with a big league opportunity.

I remain somewhat surprised that we have not seen Ben Peoples join the White Sox yet this season, and perhaps I'll continue to be surprised for the remainder of the regular season. But I still think at some point he'll be rewarded for his production in Triple-A Charlotte.

The 25-year-old right-hander is 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA over 32.2 innings pitched out of the bullpen. He has also recorded four saves and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings this season.

If there's an injury to a right-hander in the White Sox bullpen, I still think Peoples is one of the next guys up. Perhaps it waits until September when Chicago can call him up with expanded rosters. But for a team looking for more help on the pitching side, Peoples feels like a logical option to come up and potentially contribute.

Not to mention the fact that he'll be Rule 5 eligible once again this offseason and will need to be added to the 40-man roster regardless.

Zach Franklin is a less intuitive bullpen option, mainly because his production isn't on the same level as someone like Peoples. But this is a 27-year-old with a big-time fastball that has allowed him to become a high-leverage arm in the White Sox minor league system over the last few years.

Between 2025 and 2026, he has appeared in 37 games for Charlotte, and if someone like Tyler Davis is any example, you don't have to post great Triple-A numbers to contribute in a major league bullpen.

I wouldn't be shocked if we saw Franklin with the White Sox at some point this season.

Mason Adams was on the verge of his MLB debut, which probably would have come in the starting rotation during the 2025 season had he not undergone Tommy John surgery last spring.

Adams missed all of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, but he has since returned to the mound on a rehab assignment, pitching in the Arizona Complex League, High-A Winston-Salem, and most recently throwing four innings and 70 pitches for Triple-A Charlotte.

He remains the No. 11-ranked prospect in the White Sox farm system for a reason. He has great off-speed stuff and excellent control, excelling at pitch sequencing and creating deception. Evaluators believe Adams has a floor as a back-end rotation arm, and if the White Sox are looking for innings down the stretch in 2026, perhaps they turn to an MLB-ready 26-year-old whom they believe can be part of their future plans.

Now, I'm not sure what version of Adams they'll get, and it probably won't be until 2027 before we see him back at full strength. But some experience against big league hitters could be good for his future, and the innings he provides could also help the White Sox get through the dog days of the season.