Tim Elko has become something of a cult favorite on the South Side over the last year.

That was always a predictable outcome for anyone who followed him before he turned pro.

In Oxford, Mississippi, Elko is known as “The Captain.”

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He played five seasons of college baseball at Ole Miss, establishing himself as a leader on and off the field while capping his career with a 24-home run season and a National Championship with the Rebels.

Despite all of that collegiate production, Elko slid in the draft and was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 10th round in 2022.

All he has done since is hit.

Elko mashed his way through his first full professional season, posting 28 home runs, 106 RBIs, and an .873 OPS. By the end of 2023, he had worked his way up to Double-A Birmingham.

In 2024, he took a small step back statistically, but once again showed promise while splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A. It felt like only a matter of time before he reached the South Side. Many White Sox fans hoped he could fill an organizational void for a power bat capable of reliably hitting 30 home runs.

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Eloy Jimenez washed out due to chronic injury issues. Andrew Vaughn never developed as the club had hoped after being selected third overall in 2019, leaving the door open for a potential first baseman of the future.

In 2025, Elko made Triple-A pitching look like a joke. By May 7, he already had 10 home runs in Charlotte, earning his long-awaited MLB call-up.

And in just his second career game, Elko crushed a go-ahead three-run home run against the Miami Marlins in front of a home crowd at Rate Field.

And just like that, the legend was born.

Unfortunately, the fairy tale didn’t end happily ever after. Elko’s swing-and-miss issues caught up with him at the big-league level. He often looked overmatched, bouncing between Chicago and Triple-A throughout the season.

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It was a strange disconnect. He dominated the minor leagues, yet struggled to establish himself in the majors. He batted .134 with 30 strikeouts in 64 at-bats.

Despite trading Vaughn to Milwaukee, the White Sox opted to give big-league first base playing time to Lenyn Sosa, Miguel Vargas, and Curtis Mead rather than handing Elko a consistent role.

And if things couldn’t get any worse, Elko underwent successful surgery to repair a torn ACL at the end of October—a setback that will sideline him for a significant portion of the 2026 season.

The White Sox non-tendered Elko earlier this offseason, and it appeared to be the end of a once-promising and undeniably fun story.

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But maybe not.

Chicago brought Elko back on a minor league deal Sunday. The agreement allows him to rehab in team facilities, work closely with the White Sox player development staff, and potentially return to game action in the minor leagues once he’s fully recovered.

Elko will be 27 on Opening Day, so it would be unrealistic to expect him to become a franchise cornerstone at first base. He may never play another MLB game.

But he’s easy to root for and has overcome the odds before. And for that reason alone, it’s good to see him back in the organization.

Elko has consistently succeeded at the upper levels of the minor leagues. He may only be a few adjustments away from carving out a role on a big-league roster. Power plays—even if it’s off the bench.

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And White Sox fans everywhere will be hoping to get another taste of it at some point in 2026.