GLENDALE, Ariz. — Whether it’s coming up with the second base-shortstop combination, figuring out the right bullpen mix or filling the open rotation slots, there are many position battles taking place at Chicago White Sox camp.
“These guys have really taken advantage of the opportunity, have really performed,” manager Will Venable said before Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch. “It’s been a strong competition, we expect it to be the same the rest of camp.”
Options at second include Josh Rojas, Chase Meidroth, Lenyn Sosa and Brooks Baldwin. Meidroth, Rojas and Baldwin have also played shortstop this spring, along with Jacob Amaya and Colson Montgomery.
One of the pitchers vying for a spot, Rule 5 draft selection Shane Smith, tossed three scoreless innings in Saturday’s 5-2 victory. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out five, including Shohei Ohtani twice.
As the Sox continue to push toward the March 27 opener against the Los Angeles Angels, here’s what has stood out at camp.
1. Luis Robert Jr. has been among the players locked in.
Robert jump-started the Sox offense Monday against the Athletics, hitting a home run in the first inning.
Robert has been locked in this spring, slashing .368/.455/.737 with two home runs and four RBIs in eight Cactus League games. He went 1-for-2 with a walk Saturday.
“He’s obviously performing at a really high level and he’s healthy and he’s running around feeling good,” Venable said Friday. “And he’s explosive.
“He just works incredibly hard too. Just in all our drills and everything that we’ve asked, just like the rest of this group, these guys are all working really hard. It’s been great to watch him do his thing out there and play well.”
Robert, who was mentioned in trade speculation all offseason, is looking to rebound after never getting into a groove in 2024.
Nonroster invitee Brandon Drury also is aiming to bounce back as he attempts to make the club. The infielder who spent the last two seasons with the Angels has been another offensive force, hitting .348 (8-for-23) with five doubles, one home run and five RBIs in eight games.
“He looks really good,” Venable said. “More like the ‘23 version of himself. He’s putting some really good at-bats together, hitting the ball hard, using the whole field. So really happy with what he’s done.”
Among the returning infielders looking to remain in the mix, Sosa has made an impact. He’s hitting .389 (7-for-18) with five RBIs in seven games.
“(He’s) a really attractive bat that we’ll try to find at-bats for,” Venable said.
On the mound, Davis Martin has been sharp in his two starts. He has allowed one hit in four scoreless innings with five strikeouts. The right-hander stuck out six in 3 1/3 innings during an intrasquad game Saturday.
“I don’t think I could have asked for a better start, stuff-wise,” Martin said Saturday.
On the prospect front, Grant Taylor is tied for the team high with nine strikeouts — including six in two innings Saturday.
2. The injury bug is making its way through the clubhouse.
Catcher Korey Lee learned a valuable lesson Wednesday.
“Trying to karate chop a baseball bat is probably not the best thing in the world,” Lee said Thursday.
Lee suffered a bruised right hand after hitting Rhys Hoskins’ bat while trying to make a throw to third base in an attempt to catch a runner stealing. He remained in the game for the top of the third but exited in the bottom half of the inning.
Lee returned to action Saturday against the Dodgers and had two hits and two RBIs. He’s hitting .417 (5-for-12) this spring.
While Lee was back, the Sox have had to deal with injuries throughout camp.
Left fielder Andrew Benintendi is out for four to six weeks with a nondisplaced fracture of his right hand suffered Feb. 27 when he was hit by a pitch. Outfielder Austin Slater is out two to three weeks with a left oblique strain suffered Monday. Outfielder Oscar Colás is recovering from a right wrist sprain suffered Thursday. He’s expected to miss five to seven days.
Another outfielder, Michael A. Taylor, returned to the lineup Saturday after missing time with right elbow inflammation. But reliever Prelander Berroa will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery after exiting a Feb. 22 game with a Grade 1 elbow strain.
Berroa was in the mix for a bullpen spot, creating a next-pitcher-up opportunity.
Meidroth left Saturday’s game with cramping in his calves. The prospect has had some opportunities this spring at the top of the White Sox order. He is day to day.
3. Prospects have gained valuable experience.
The Sox had six of the top-100 prospects in baseball, according to MLB.com, in major-league camp at the start of spring training.
Pitchers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith and outfielder Braden Montgomery recently were reassigned to minor-league camp. Schultz and Smith both pitched three impressive scoreless innings in their two Cactus League outings.
Venable believes the prospects gained experiences that will aid them and the club in the future.
“These guys are a connected group,” Venable said. “For them to be able to spend time together in camp and grow those relationships, be around big-leaguers who can help show them how to continue to develop and their routines and their professionalism, it has been great for the whole group.”
Colson Montgomery, who is competing for a spot on the 26-man roster, and catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel are the three remaining MLB.com top-100 prospects in camp. Montgomery, who had been dealing with back spasms, could be back in the lineup Sunday or Monday.
“When he is out there, he’s looking good and showing us what he can do,” Venable said of Colson Montgomery last week. “We’ll just kind of monitor him appropriately. I know he’s got plenty of time to do what he needs to do out there.”
