With the GM meetings set to get rolling this week, the White Sox are in a spot they haven’t been in for a while: ready to buy. That changes the conversation fast. Instead of shopping veterans off the roster, Chicago could use the trade market to plug holes on the big league club, and that means prospect names are going to start circulating in a hurry.
The White Sox are not likely to part with Caleb Bonemer or Roch Cholowsky in a major deal, but Billy Carlson is a different story. The 20-year-old shortstop was the club’s first-round pick in the 2025 draft and got his first taste of pro ball this season.
In 60 games at Low-A Kannapolis, he hit .252/.380/.335 with a .715 OPS. The power hasn’t shown up yet - he still hasn’t homered as a pro - and injuries cut his season short, but the glove gave the White Sox plenty to like.
Carlson’s upside, plus the organization’s infield depth, could make him the kind of prospect another club asks for in a package. If Chicago lands a starting pitcher, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Carlson included.
Tanner McDougal also fits the profile of a player who could get moved because the White Sox have arms to spare. He broke onto the radar with a strong 2025, when he put up a 3.26 ERA over 113.1 innings between High-A and Double-A.
The fastball, which touched triple digits in spring training, had the White Sox thinking about a 2026 big league debut. Instead, 2026 went sideways.
McDougal finished with a 4.71 ERA in the minors, missed time with a forearm strain, and ended the year in the bullpen. He did get one appearance with the White Sox, though it was a rough one: three walks in 0.1 innings.
The club has said it plans to move him back into the rotation to begin 2027, and he should open in Triple-A, putting him a month or two away from a shot in a major league rotation. That timeline, combined with the White Sox’s pitching depth, makes him a name to watch in trade discussions.
William Bergolla Jr. is the third prospect who could surface in talks, though he doesn’t profile as the centerpiece of a major deal. Chicago was high on him in spring training, and his strong start in Triple-A Charlotte made a debut feel close before a freak outfield collision fractured his leg and ended his season.
Bergolla’s game is pretty clear: he puts the bat on the ball at an elite level, he can really run, and he brings versatility. What he doesn’t bring is power or much impact contact, so his value comes from line drives, speed, and the ability to fill a utility role.
He looks like a player who could be ready early in 2027, and with the White Sox infield picture crowded, he could be one of the pieces used to help land help elsewhere.
In Other News...
White Sox Could Revisit A Cubs Connection At A Crucial Time
With the Major League Baseball GM meetings set for Las Vegas this week, the White Sox are entering a stretch where the usual background chatter could carry a little more weight than normal. These gatherings are often about laying groundwork rather than sealing deals, but with a lockout looming after the offseason, executives from all 30 teams may be more willing to push conversations further along than they otherwise would.
That makes Chicagos search for help worth watching, especially if it leads back to a familiar Cubs connection. Several former Cubs have been floated as possible free-agent fits for the White Sox, including pitchers Clay Holmes, Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd, along with outfielder Seiya Suzuki, whose market comes with an added layer of complication. For a club trying to make the most of a crucial window, even a loose thread like this could become one of the more interesting storylines coming out of Las Vegas. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Face A Big Right Field Decision After Rookie Breakthrough
The White Sox got real production from a rookie-heavy outfield in 2026, with Tristan Peters and Sam Antonacci both drawing AL Rookie of the Year votes. Braden Montgomerys debut was more uneven, but the bigger takeaway for Chicago is that the group gave the front office something to build around rather than forcing a total reset in the corners.
Right field still looks like the spot where the Sox could make their biggest move, especially if they want to turn a promising young outfield into a more complete one. Seiya Suzuki is expected to reach the market, and Chicago is at least positioned to be part of the conversation if it decides the next step is adding a proven middle-of-the-order bat instead of waiting for another internal leap. [Read more 🡒]
Colby Shelton Is Giving The White Sox A Reason To Revisit Him
Colby Shelton is making the kind of autumn statement that tends to get a front offices attention. The White Soxs No. 23 prospect has been productive in the Arizona Fall League, building on a season that already pointed to real growth in his approach at the plate. His on-base ability has improved, his strikeout-to-walk ratio has tightened up, and the power and run production he has shown across multiple minor league stops have started to look more like a carrying tool than a tease.
What makes Shelton worth tracking from here is that the bat is creating more certainty than the rest of his profile. Scouting reports have long flagged questions about his swing mechanics and speed, and his defensive future is still not settled. For a White Sox system looking for players who can force their way back into the conversation, Shelton is doing the one thing that matters most in the fall: giving the organization a reason to keep revisiting him. [Read more 🡒]