Which White Sox Depth Addition Is Most Likely to Make the 2026 Roster?

There’s been a clear pattern in the Chicago White Sox’s roster moves over the past few months.

Whether via waiver claim or minor offseason trade, the organization has targeted players with athleticism, defensive versatility, and limited Major League experience. It’s bargain-bin shopping, no doubt—and that approach will never fully satisfy a fanbase hungry for impact additions. But it’s also intentional.

The White Sox are casting a wide net, adding as many low-cost “lottery tickets” as possible to the 40-man roster and letting spring training determine which ones stick. You never know which gamble might pay off.

As things currently stand, Chicago’s 40-man roster is nearing capacity, and several recent additions feel redundant on paper. With limited roster spots available, the question becomes unavoidable:

Which depth addition is most likely to make the roster—and actually impact the 2026 White Sox?

The Options

To narrow the field, let’s focus strictly on players added to the organization over the last few months who have not appeared in a Major League game for the White Sox.

Tristan Peters

The White Sox acquired Peters earlier this week in a trade for cash. The 26-year-old left-handed hitter has bounced between the Brewers, Giants, and Rays organizations before landing in Chicago.

Peters brings defensive versatility across all three outfield spots and is coming off a strong 2025 season at Triple-A Durham, where he was named Bulls MVP after hitting 28 doubles, 15 home runs, and posting a .784 OPS.

His brief Major League stint with Tampa Bay—four games, 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts—was forgettable, but the profile is decent enough to get the White Sox attention. It’s a eft-handed bat, solid defense, and some offensive competence at Triple-A.

Everson Pereira

Pereira arrived as part of the trade that sent Steven Wilson and Yoendrys Gómez to Tampa Bay. While his Major League numbers are rough—.146 batting average and .442 OPS in 50 career games—his minor league production tells a very different story.

In 2025, Pereira crushed 21 home runs in just 297 Triple-A at-bats. Across 153 Triple-A games, he owns an .881 OPS with 39 homers and 117 RBIs. The power is real, and it plays against upper-level pitching.

He’s also a strong athlete and a natural outfielder, which matters on a roster already crowded with infield options.

Tanner Murray

Murray was the other position player included in the Rays deal. A former fourth-round pick, he’s yet to make his MLB debut but spent the full 2025 season at Triple-A.

At 26, Murray is as close to “big league ready” as it gets. His calling card is versatility—he can play virtually anywhere on the diamond, both in the infield and outfield.

Offensively, however, the profile is modest. He posted roughly a .700 OPS in 2025 with 29 doubles and 18 home runs, but a .299 on-base percentage raises concerns about his ability to consistently reach base at the next level.

Ben Cowles

Cowles was claimed off waivers from the Cubs late in the 2025 season. A utility infielder with solid speed and gap power, he hit 30 doubles last year but struggled overall—particularly after joining the White Sox organization.

The swing-and-miss is a major issue (152 strikeouts in 2025), and while there’s intrigue if the power develops, those are significant hurdles for a soon-to-be 26-year-old competing in an already crowded infield picture.

The Prediction

If one of these depth additions is going to make the roster and impact the 2026 White Sox, the best bet is Everson Pereira.

That may feel counterintuitive. He bats right-handed, and the White Sox have openly emphasized the need for more left-handed hitters. But it’s reasonable to expect Chicago to add an established lefty bat at some point this offseason, reducing that imbalance by the time spring training begins.

What separates Pereira from the rest of the group is the toolset.

He has the most raw power, the strongest track record against upper-level pitching, and the athleticism to handle a true outfield role. While versatility is valuable, the White Sox are already overloaded with infield options—and a potential first base addition would only intensify that logjam.

The outfield, on the other hand, remains unsettled. Right field is wide open. Left field could open up if Andrew Benintendi transitions more toward a DH role. And Luis Robert Jr.’s long-term status remains uncertain.

Tristan Peters makes sense as a depth option, but Pereira’s upside is simply greater—and that matters when you’re taking calculated risks.

If one of these offseason lottery tickets is going to pay off, this is the one worth betting on.

Which White Sox Depth Addition Is Most Likely to Make the 2026 Roster?

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