SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Two weeks from Thursday, the White Sox will have played their first game of the 2026 season. Given the time crunch and catcher Kyle Teel suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain in the World Baseball Classic, now seems like the optimal time to project the Opening Day Roster.
The 2026 lineup features more youth and talent than last year’s. Only Vargas, Sosa and Lee remain from last year’s lineup, and only Vargas is regarded as a regular. The Sox have high ambitions after an improved second half, but they still have a lot to prove and are betting on young players to continue their upward trajectory.
Starting pitchers (5)
RHP Shane Smith
LHP Anthony Kay
RHP Davis Martin
RHP Sean Burke
RHP Erick Fedde
The true shocker here is Fedde being in the opening Day rotation after a season away from the Sox. 2024 was a miserable slog for the Sox, but not Fedde. 2024 elicits positive moments for the veteran right-hander. Over 21 starts with the Sox, Fedde posted a 3.11 ERA before being shipped to St. Louis at the trade deadline. In his 10 starts with the Cardinals, he posted a still respectable 3.72 ERA. But his play dipped in 2025 as he posted a 5.22 ERA with the Cardinals and Brewers. The Sox are hoping he can recapture some of his past success back with the organization that brought it out of him.
Burke, last year’s Opening Day starter, will likely get another crack in the rotation. He has the best stuff on the team after Smith but struggled last season and was demoted to Triple-A Charlotte.
Relief pitchers (8)
RHP Seranthony Dominguez
RHP Grant Taylor
RHP Jordan Leasure
LHP Sean Newcomb
RHP Jedixson Paez
RHP Mike Vasil
RHP Jordan Hicks
LHP Chris Murphy
After Taylor, Leasure, Vasil, Hicks and Dominguez, the Sox have a lot of options in the bullpen. The nod goes to Paez, a Rule 5 draft pick, because of his youth and the fact that having a role in the bullpen will allow the team to monitor his innings, since he hasn’t pitched above Single-A.
Murphy has had an impressive spring, posting a 2.70 ERA over four games. Getz described Murphy as a Swiss Army knife; he can make spot starts but has primarily been a reliever in his career.
Catchers (2)
C Korey Lee
C Edgar Quero
Getz said he only wants to carry two catchers this season after rostering three to end the season. But Teel’s injury thrusts Lee into a role as a backup until Teel recovers.
Infield (6)
1B Munetaka Murakami
2B Chase Meidroth
3B Miguel Vargas
SS Colson Montgomery
UTIL Lenyn Sosa
The Sox like Sosa’s bat, but he has yet to find a defensive home. But after slugging a career-high 22 homers in 2025, the Sox will try Sosa at first base to get his bat in the lineup. Murakami has generated headlines since signing with the Sox. He’s a star in Japan and will look to make a similar impact in the majors.
Outfield (5)
LF/DH Andrew Benintendi
OF Everson Pereira
OF Austin Hays
OF Brooks Baldwin
UTIL Luisangel Acuna
OF Jarred Kelenic
Because of his Achilles injuries, Benintendi doesn’t have the ability to cover as much ground as he used to in his prime. He’ll likely see fewer than the 69 starts he made in left field last season. Baldwin is dealing with right elbow soreness but is of use to the Sox because of his defensive versatility.
Injured list (1)
C Kyle Teel