The White Sox are done for the year, but two familiar names are still working their way through the 2026 MLB Postseason.
Four clubs are left standing: the Dodgers and Brewers in a rematch of the 2025 NLCS, and the Guardians and Rays in the American League. Getting this far usually means loading up on talent, and both remaining brackets include former White Sox players who are still chasing a title.
Andrew Vaughn is one of them. The former third overall pick never quite found his footing in Chicago the way the White Sox hoped, especially after a development path that was derailed by the COVID-shortened 2020 season and injuries.
He played 55 minor league games in 2019 and got as far as High-A before the 2020 minor league season was canceled. When baseball returned in 2021, Vaughn was expected to start in Triple-A, but a preseason injury to Eloy Jimenez pushed him onto the Opening Day roster in left field, a spot he had never played professionally.
Vaughn’s rookie year produced a .705 OPS and 15 home runs, but the breakout never really came, even after he moved back to first base. He was scuffling badly in 2025 as well, hitting .532 OPS in 48 games before Chicago sent him to Milwaukee for right-hander Aaron Civale.
The move has worked out for Vaughn. He put up an .868 OPS in 64 games down the stretch last season and was a key part of Milwaukee’s NLCS run.
This year, an early injury delayed his start, and he has mostly worked as Jake Bauers’ platoon partner since returning. Still, the offense has been there.
Vaughn is 2-for-5 with a double and a walk in three Postseason games so far, and he should keep seeing regular at-bats against left-handed pitching as the Brewers try to knock off the two-time defending champions.
Cam Booser is the other ex-White Sox still alive. His stint in Chicago was brief, but it left a mark.
The White Sox got him from Boston in an offseason trade before the 2025 season, sending young right-hander Yhoiker Fajardo to the Red Sox in the deal. Booser had taken a long road to the majors, with multiple injuries and off-field struggles along the way, and finally debuted with Boston in 2024.
He posted a 3.38 ERA in 43 games there.
Chicago was a different story. Booser struggled to a 5.52 ERA in 39 games with the White Sox in 2025 and spent most of the season bouncing between Chicago and Charlotte before being non-tendered after the season. He signed a minor league deal with the Rays, and Tampa Bay turned him into a much more effective arm.
In 42 games this season, Booser had a 1.98 ERA, and he has thrown two scoreless innings across three Postseason appearances for the Rays this October. Under team control until 2031, he now gives Tampa Bay a controllable bullpen piece with real value moving forward. For the White Sox, it is another tough reminder of what got away.
In Other News...
White Sox 2027 Outfield Picture Hinges On Two Big Decisions
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What makes the picture interesting is that the biggest questions are not about the young names so much as the established ones. The White Sox have to decide how much they want to commit to the current mix, how much room they want to leave for the younger outfielders to emerge, and whether a late-stage roster tweak could be used to address a different need. Even with some changes likely, the sense right now is that the group may stay closer to intact than a full reset would suggest. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Roster Crunch Could Force A Tough Rotation Decision
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Andrew Benintendis place on the roster is one of the more obvious questions, especially with the club considering ways to reshape the payroll and create room for a controllable starter. Billy Carlson could also come up in those talks, even with the No. 81 prospect tag attached to him, because the White Sox have enough infield traffic to at least listen. Brenton Doyles future is less settled than it might seem, too, which is what makes this roster crunch worth watching as the offseason takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Prospects Are Already Forcing Early Questions About The System
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Caleb Bonemer and Colby Shelton have been among the names worth tracking most closely in Glendale, with both showing up in key offensive moments as the Desert Dogs searched for traction. The results have also helped Glendale break through after an early run of losses, giving the White Sox at least one encouraging reminder that the organizations prospect group is starting to create some real decisions for the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]