White Sox Players Getting Extra Work Ahead of 2027 Season

For professional baseball players, particularly prospects looking to gain more experience against high-level competition and continue developing their skills, there are several winter ball leagues that provide opportunities for live reps throughout the offseason.

The Arizona Fall League is one of the most widely followed offseason leagues, but it's far from the only option for players looking to get additional at-bats or innings before the start of a new season.

I've written extensively about the 10 Chicago White Sox prospects playing for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League and provided updates on their performances through the early stages of the AFL season.

But there are six other players in Chicago's organization who are getting additional work this offseason, with opportunities to continue their development in winter leagues across the Caribbean.

Right-handed pitcher Juan Carela was acquired by the White Sox at the 2023 trade deadline and has shown plenty of promise in the past. In 2024, Carela posted a 3.71 ERA over 23 starts in the minor leagues, reaching as high as Double-A Birmingham before the end of the season.

He then missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and finally returned to the mound in 2026, although not with the success he would have hoped for. Carela posted a 4.75 ERA over 55 innings in his first season back.

The 24-year-old right-hander is now headed to the Dominican Winter League, where he'll pitch for Toros del Este. Carela has already reported to the team but has yet to make an appearance. His debut could come later this week.

Right-handed pitcher Adisyn Coffey was a third-round selection by the White Sox in the 2020 MLB Draft and appeared to be knocking on the door of his MLB debut entering 2026 before a highly disappointing season with Triple-A Charlotte.

Coffey made 41 appearances with a 6.44 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. He'll turn 28 before Opening Day in 2027 and is looking to make improvements and prove himself while pitching for Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Through his first three appearances, Coffey has a 9.00 ERA, but there should be plenty of innings remaining for him in Venezuela this offseason.

Also playing in Venezuela, albeit for a different team, is 21-year-old outfielder Samuel Zavala. He has already reported to Cardenales de Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League and is currently batting .250 with a .700 OPS through six games.

Zavala is still young, especially for an outfielder who spent the entire 2026 season with Double-A Birmingham. He showed plenty of promise with an improved walk rate in 2026, finishing the season with 14 home runs, 44 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, and a .779 OPS, fueled by an impressive .390 on-base percentage.

Right-handed pitcher Riley Gowens will soon report to Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican Winter League. He's scheduled to join the team on October 25, with the season set to begin on November 4.

Gowens, a University of Illinois alumnus, posted a 4.66 ERA in the White Sox organization in 2026, transitioning to a bullpen role and eventually earning a promotion to Triple-A Charlotte.

He just turned 27 on October 18 and is hoping another year in the organization will provide an opportunity to break through at the MLB level.

Two other White Sox players, both of whom received MLB at-bats in 2026, are preparing to play in the Dominican Winter League but have yet to report to their team. Outfielder Junior Perez and catcher Edgar Quero are both expected to suit up for Estrellas Orientales this offseason.

Perez was acquired from the Athletics midseason and appeared in 22 games for the White Sox, batting .171 with three home runs and a .623 OPS.

He's a respected defensive outfielder with impressive raw power who started to find success in AAA after joining the White Sox organization. However, there are still far too many holes in his swing for Perez to establish himself as a regular at the MLB level, and his .194 on-base percentage in the big leagues illustrates those concerns.

Perez is expected to report to Estrellas Orientales on October 23, where he'll have an opportunity to get additional at-bats and work on improving his offensive approach.

Edgar Quero needs to get back to being the player he was in 2025. After looking like a highly promising young catcher who batted .268 with an OPS just shy of .700 as a rookie, Quero hit just .203 with a .540 OPS in 2026.

He certainly had his moments, but there's still a lot of development needed in his game, both offensively and defensively, if he's going to re-establish the organization's confidence in him.

It can be easy to forget that Quero is still only 23 years old and will remain that age on Opening Day in 2027. There's still time for him to develop and plenty of reason to be bullish about his future with the White Sox.

He'll have to put in the work, though, and perhaps that's where winter ball can make a difference. Additional live at-bats, more advanced work behind the plate, and opportunities to continue developing against professional competition could be valuable for Quero as he looks to bounce back in 2027.

Quero is scheduled to report on November 5.