2025 was a year of growth and development for the White Sox under first-year skipper Will Venable. The team improved by 19 games from their history-making 2024 campaign, with several players making the most of their opportunities and emerging as key contributors moving forward.
Shane Smith
Shane Smith wasn’t even guaranteed an Opening Day roster spot after the White Sox took him as the first overall pick in the Rule 5 draft from the Brewers. He had to earn every opportunity he got, and that is exactly what he did.
After a strong showing in spring training, Smith earned a spot on the White Sox Opening Day roster and never looked back. The 25-year-old right-hander made 29 starts covering 146.1 innings, putting up a 3.81 ERA, 4.10 FIP, 1.20 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, 2.4 bWAR, and 2.2 fWAR. He was also selected as the team’s All-Star representative, joining Dan Uggla in 2006 as the only players to be named as an All-Star in the season following their Rule 5 selection.
Aside from a short stretch in late June and early July, Smith was the team’s best starting pitcher all season. He cemented himself as a building block moving forward, and he will undoubtedly enter the 2026 season with a spot in the starting rotation.
Mike Vasil
As a fellow Rule 5 pick, Mike Vasil entered the 2025 season in a similar position to Smith. Vasil wasn’t even in the White Sox organization in spring training, as the team claimed him off waivers from the Rays just a few days before Opening Day. What initially appeared to be an inconsequential move ultimately paid massive dividends.
He emerged as the team’s most dependable bullpen arm and a Swiss Army knife of sorts on the pitching staff. Across 47 games, he racked up a 2.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 4.32 FIP, 7.3 K/9, and 2.9 bWAR. He also recorded four saves, two holds, and even started three games. The 25-year-old right-hander excelled in any role he was asked to pitch in and will have a firm grasp on a roster spot in spring training.
Colson Montgomery
Unlike Smith and Vasil, who were unknowns until recently, Colson Montgomery had been on the radar for years. As the team’s first-round pick in 2021, he appeared on top 100 prospect lists for years. Fans penciled him in as the shortstop of the future well before his MLB debut.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Montgomery, though. He put up a mediocre .710 OPS in 572 plate appearances at the Triple-A level in 2024, and things got so bad in Triple-A to start 2025 that he was sent to Arizona to work individually with Ryan Fuller, the White Sox Director of Hitting.
Montgomery’s stint in Arizona appears to have changed his career. Following his call-up on the 4th of July, the 23-year-old left-handed hitting shortstop recorded an .840 OPS, 130 OPS+, along with 21 home runs in just 71 games. He recorded a 3.3 bWAR and 2.6 fWAR over that span while also being in the 92nd percentile in Outs Above Average. Montgomery has revitalized his career and now has a firm hold on the starting shortstop job heading into next year.
Kyle Teel
Kyle Teel is also no stranger to pressure and hype. As one of the centerpieces in the blockbuster Garrett Crochet trade, the 23-year-old left-handed hitting catcher proved his worth immediately. He slashed .273/.375/.411 with 11 doubles and eight home runs in 297 MLB plate appearances, recording a 121 OPS+, 1.9 bWAR, and 1.9 fWAR. He was also an above-average pitch framer, per Baseball Savant. Teel will be one of the focal points on the team next year behind the plate.
Lenyn Sosa
White Sox fans waited years for Lenyn Sosa to break out, and that finally happened in 2025. The 25-year-old infielder had by far his best season so far at the MLB level, hitting 20 doubles and 22 home runs, good enough for a 101 OPS+. His defensive home is still a question, as is his inability to draw walks. Nonetheless, he showed enough this year to warrant the team keeping him around in 2026.
Will Venable
MLB managers don’t often get praised for winning 60 games, but that is the case for Will Venable. The rookie manager inherited a historically bad team and arguably the worst situation in all of baseball. Despite the odds stacked against him, he guided the team from 41 wins to 60 in his first year. There is a long way to go, but the 42-year-old passed his first test with flying colors. He will now have to guide this young group to take the next step in 2026.
