The White Sox may be heading into the trade deadline looking for help, but they also have a homegrown arm in the system who is making a loud case to stay in the conversation. Mason Adams, the club’s 11th-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has come back from Tommy John surgery and immediately looked like the same pitcher who put himself on the radar before the injury.
Adams was a 13th-round pick in the 2022 draft and turned in a strong first full minor league season in 2023, posting a 3.14 ERA across 109 innings. He took a bigger step in 2024 with the Birmingham Barons, where he was downright dominant: 2.44 ERA, 101 strikeouts, 19 walks, a 1.05 WHIP, and a steady stream of quality starts over 103 innings.
That run had him in line for a potential call-up before everything changed when he got hurt just as he was promoted to Charlotte. Tommy John surgery followed, and his 2025 season was wiped out.
Since then, Adams has worked his way back, and the results have been strong from the jump. He threw 11 innings of 2.50 ERA ball with the Winston-Salem Dash during his rehab assignment before returning to the Charlotte Knights, where he had last pitched before the injury.
In 14 innings with Charlotte, he has a 1.93 ERA, a .93 WHIP, and opponents are hitting just .208 against him. He has also struck out 16 and walked only three.
That kind of production after major arm surgery is not the norm, and Adams has backed it up with the kind of pitch mix that keeps hitters uncomfortable. In a June 25, 2026 outing, he was pulled after five innings and 66 pitches, and his sweeper again stood out as his best weapon. He threw 24 sweepers, averaged 85.9 mph with the pitch, and generated four called strikes and four whiffs.
The White Sox can use another dependable starter, and Adams is starting to look like a real answer. The timeline for a move to Chicago is still unclear, but if he keeps dealing over the next few weeks, the organization may not have much choice.
Adams profiles as a starter, so if a spot opens because someone else struggles, he could be the one who steps in. He is not on the 40-man roster, so a corresponding move would be needed, but the White Sox may decide that getting Adams to the majors is worth that price.
In Other News...
Kyle Davidson May Have Come Closer Than Blackhawks Fans Realize
With Blackhawks prospects arriving for development camp and the sessions open to the public, the offseason has already shifted from draft-week maneuvering to the next stage of Kyle Davidsons roster build. Davidson has been busy through trades and the NHL Entry Draft, and around the league the market still looks very much alive, with other clubs making offers and exploring bigger moves as teams continue to shuffle pieces.
For Chicago, that matters because the work may not be as finished as it first looked. Reports have linked the Blackhawks to conversations involving notable names across the league, and the broader trade season still has the feel of a market where one call can change a lot. Davidson may have already pushed deeper into that landscape than many fans realize, and the next ripple could come before the summer has much time to settle. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Fans Finally Get Their First Real Prospect Debate Of Summer
Blackhawks fans finally have something resembling a real summer prospect debate, because the annual development camp is back on the ice after a run of off-ice-only gatherings. The setup alone gives it a different feel, with 19 prospects in town and a mix that includes forwards, defensemen and goaltenders, plus a few names who have already logged professional time or arrive with the cachet of former first-round picks.
For a club still trying to sort out its future, camp is less about the drills than the pecking order. Sacha Boisvert, Stanislav Berezhnoy and Adam Gajan are among the young players with some pro experience, while the group of former first-rounders, including Vaclav Nestrasil, Marek Vanacker and Mason West, adds another layer to the conversation. AJ Spellacy, John Mustard and Nathan Behm are also part of the mix, which is exactly why this week matters: it is the first real chance of the summer to see which prospects are starting to separate themselves before the grind of the season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Davidson Just Put Blackhawks Fans On Notice This Offseason
Kyle Davidson made it clear the Blackhawks are not treating this offseason like a finished project. Chicagos general manager said the team is exploring trades and could still look to add help on the blue line, even while acknowledging the current group might be good enough to carry into the season as it stands. It is the kind of measured stance that leaves room for patience, but also signals that the front office is still scanning for ways to sharpen a roster that is trying to take another step forward.
For Blackhawks fans, the message is less about one specific move than the possibility of several paths still open. Davidson is not locking the team into a single plan, and that matters in a summer where roster holes can be addressed in more than one way. The real question now is how aggressive Chicago wants to be when those trade talks heat up and whether the right addition arrives before the offseason market starts to thin. [Read more 🡒]