ORLANDO, Fla. — The White Sox brass feels the momentum building throughout the organization.
A week in Orlando talking with other teams at the Walt Disney World Resort complex served notice that the industry is starting to look at the downtrodden Sox more favorably. The 28-37 second-half record with a positive run differential piqued the interest of teams around the league.
“Last year, as players were joining our major-league club and performing the way they did, you began to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” general manager Chris Getz said. “Now it’s just shining a little bit brighter.”
The Sox had a 19-win improvement in 2025, but that’s not saying much considering they were the worst team ever in 2024 (41-121). The Sox didn’t make many moves at the winter meetings outside of making the Anthony Kay signing official and drafting two Rule 5 pitchers (Jedixson Paez, Alexander Alberto).
“We’re in a position now that we feel like that’s going to continue and we are only going to be able to add and get better, and that’s why we are out at the winter meetings right now and looking for an opportunity to continue to grow the organization,” Getz said.
But there was a buzz about the direction of the Sox’ rebuild in Orlando, which only amplified after the team won the 2026 draft lottery and earned the right to pick No. 1 in 2026.
Getz stepped into his role as the team’s GM after in 2023. He immediately faced criticism, as the fan base saw his promotion as a status quo move by the organization. His rebuild was always going to be a slow process as he reshaped the Sox in his image.
Getting the No. 1 pick will test how well the team’s new infrastructure is at identifying talent and makeup. For as ecstatic as the Sox were after winning the draft lottery, there’s immense pressure on them to get that selection right. Getting that pick wrong is the type of mistake that could significantly hurt the franchise.
Getz has been all-in on improving the decision-making process throughout the organization and investing in technology and international and amateur scouting. He had to fix the foundation if his rebuild were to be more successful than the previous one. Hiring manager Will Venable has been well received around the league and adding pitching coach Zach Bove and hitting coach Derek Shomon were moves to maximize the -ascending -major-league players.
“We are further along, and we can see it,” Getz said. “There’s more tangible evidence where the work prior was underneath the hood. You can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel . . . get a sense of excitement and certainly when you get the first pick in the upcoming draft, it’s an added bonus.”
But building off the momentum of the team’s second-half performance should be a priority for the organization. Augmenting the young core with veterans who can not only provide important leadership qualities but also impact the on-field product would buoy the team and give them a chance to remain in the playoff hunt longer than previous seasons.
Executives, players and agents mingled at the meetings, but little happened league-wide except a few big signings. Getz said he had “a lot of meetings” with other organizations and agents, yet no deal was struck at the Signia by Hilton hotel in Orlando.
The team is sticking to their process and not expediting it, which could prove prudent down the line. But it’s hard for fans to see the tantalizing promise of Colson Montgomery and the development of budding catcher Kyle Teel and not yearn for additions to the major-league team. But patience has defined Getz’s rebuild, and he’s going to stick to his approach.
“You look at the roster with some of these young players and you want to continue to see how things play out with them and continue to develop those players and see what level of impact that they can make,” Getz said. “You certainly don’t want to create any sort of disruption in their development because if you do that, it’s not a benefit to the Chicago White Sox.
“Finding additions to this club just remains a focus, and it’s an easier access point using free agency. We’re going to continue to add, find creative ways to build this team.”