Balancing the lineup will be a priority for the White Sox this offseason.
‘‘We’ve gotten a little right-handed-redundant on the infield,’’ general manager Chris Getz said this month at the general managers meetings in Las Vegas. ‘‘Sam Antonacci comes to mind as a left-handed bat that can be inserted into the infield to help attack that.’’
Was that slip intentional or unintentional? Antonacci, the Sox’ fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft, has risen rapidly through the farm system. He finished the regular season at Double-A Birmingham, where he batted .292/.435/.381, and Getz said he has ‘‘been outstanding.’’ MLB.com lists Antonacci as the 11th-ranked player in the Sox’ system.
It’s notable that Getz mentioned Antonacci, 22, as a potential solution, given that he hasn’t even had an at-bat in Triple-A.
Antonacci’s ascent continued in the Arizona Fall League, where he slashed .378/.505/.541 in 19 games. He showed impressive contact skills and played multiple positions, though second base has been his priority.
‘‘Definitely feel comfortable wherever they put me,’’ Antonacci said. ‘‘I’m just having a lot of fun playing wherever they put me. I’ve gotten a lot better just understanding how a lot of other people here go about their routines and learning what works for them.
‘‘[I’ve just been] reading hops and [doing] glove work and stuff like that. It has benefitted me to be out there around this quality of infielders. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead.’’
Antonacci rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone. Though he doesn’t have much power, the Sox could use his bat-to-ball skills in the lineup. Sox left-handed hitters batted .230/.317/.385 in 2025.
The Sox seem to be invested in the continued development of corner infielders Miguel Vargas and Curtis Mead. A left-handed hitter would be brought in to complement the two, Getz said. But given how frequently manager Will Venable uses his bench, a left-handed hitter could see quite a bit of playing time.
‘‘It can come in different forms,’’ Getz said when he was asked whether there’s a preferred position the left-handed hitter would play. ‘‘Versatility is great. It would be nice if they could play a little bit of third base. But we’ve got some flexibility with Colson [Montgomery] being able to play some third, and Chase [Meidroth] can play all over.’’
Given that the Sox aren’t likely to be huge spenders in free agency, Antonacci could be an intriguing in-house option. He wouldn’t bring the certainty an established veteran would, but he would provide a cheaper option that would allow the Sox to spend money in other areas.
Antonacci handled the AFL well and adjusted to the higher caliber of pitching. Instead of overhauling or tinkering with his swing, he just leaned into his strengths and trusted the results would follow.
But Antonacci said he doesn’t want his development to plateau at the AFL level. He is a dedicated worker with instincts that have allowed him to outperform his physical traits.
‘‘I would say it’s no confidence-booster because you’re not in the big leagues putting up these numbers,’’ Antonacci said of his AFL success.
‘‘I don’t really want to be known as a good [AFL] player; I want to be known as a productive big-leaguer who brings a championship to Chicago.
‘‘It’s obviously better than not succeeding here, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to get to where I want to be.’’