The White Sox made a couple of notable roster moves on Thursday, designating catcher Drew Romo and right-hander Jairo Iriarte for assignment. The decision clears space on the 40-man roster for newly acquired arms Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin, both of whom arrived in a trade with the Red Sox earlier in the day.
Let’s start with Romo. Just 24 years old, the former first-round pick (35th overall in 2022) came into pro ball with some real promise.
At one point, he was getting attention on top-100 prospect lists thanks to his defensive skills and switch-hitting potential. But the transition to the big leagues hasn’t been kind to him so far.
Romo’s major league experience is limited-just 19 games, all with the Rockies-but the numbers paint a tough picture. He slashed .167/.196/.222 in 56 plate appearances, striking out at a sky-high 37.5% clip.
That’s a wRC+ of 3, meaning his offensive production was 97% below league average. Yes, it’s a small sample size, and no, you don’t want to write off a young catcher too quickly.
But even with that caveat, it’s clear Romo hasn’t found his footing yet at the highest level.
Things didn’t look much better in Triple-A last year either. Playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League with Albuquerque, Romo posted a .264/.329/.409 line-numbers that might look decent at first glance but translate to a below-average 75 wRC+ in that environment.
The Rockies ultimately designated him for assignment, and he’s bounced around since, landing with the White Sox via waivers just a few weeks ago. Now, he’s back on the wire again.
If he clears, Chicago could keep him in the system as catching depth behind Kyle Teel, Korey Lee, and Edgar Quero.
Then there’s Iriarte, a right-hander who originally signed with the Padres out of Venezuela. He came to the White Sox in the Dylan Cease trade before the 2024 season and made his MLB debut with Chicago later that year.
His first taste of the majors was brief-just six innings-but intriguing: a 1.50 ERA, though it came with more walks (eight) than strikeouts (six). That control issue has been a theme.
Iriarte spent most of last season at Triple-A, where command problems really got the best of him. Over 46 innings, he walked nearly 17% of the batters he faced and posted a 7.24 ERA. That kind of wildness is tough to carry, even with a live arm, and it’s what ultimately cost him his spot on the 40-man roster.
Like Romo, Iriarte will now go through the waiver process. If he goes unclaimed, he’ll remain in the organization as a non-roster depth piece heading into 2026.
For the White Sox, these moves are about clearing the path for incoming talent. Hicks and Sandlin are now officially part of the roster, and while Romo and Iriarte still have potential, they’ll need to show more consistency-especially in high-leverage roles-to stick around in the long term.