Sam Antonacci’s Path To White Sox May Now Be More Clear

Sam Antonacci has gone from an unheralded fifth-round draft pick in 2024 to a potentially significant part of the White Sox future thanks to his impressive performance and quick ascent through the farm system. The question the White Sox now face is not whether he deserves a chance at the big leagues, but where he will fit once he gets there. The team may have offered a clue this afternoon, as he was in the lineup playing left field for the first time.

Moving around the field defensively has always been part of Antonacci’s profile as a player. He has displayed his versatility ever since being drafted, playing all four infield positions as a professional. The outfield, on the other hand, would be a new challenge for him. To this point, he has never played in the outfield in college or the pros.

White Sox Crowded Infield Mix

The logic behind experimenting with Antonacci in the outfield is easy to see. Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery, and Chase Meidroth project to the starters at third base, shortstop, and second base for the White Sox in 2026, and that is just scratching the surface of the their infield depth.

The White Sox have a lot of infield talent as an organization. Top 100 prospects Caleb Bonemer and Billy Carlson headline the group and are joined by other prospects like Kyle Lodise, William Bergolla Jr., Javier Mogollon, and Jeral Perez, who could enter the equation eventually as well. The infield could become an even bigger area of strength should they draft UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the consensus top prospect in the 2026 MLB draft.

Needless to say, there is a lot of competition for only a couple of spots. Some of these infielders will have to change positions as a result, and it appears Antonacci could be in the process of doing just that. It’s a possibility he is embracing, per his conversation with Scott Merkin of MLB.com.

“They tell me to grab an outfield glove, I’ll go out there. I always like to say I never got drafted to just be a shortstop or second baseman for the White Sox. I got drafted to help them win. If that’s in the outfield, I’m more than happy to do it,” Antonacci said.

Outfield Full of Opportunity

The White Sox outfield situation presents much more of an opportunity moving forward. Top prospect Braden Montgomery figures to stake his claim to one of the spots in the near future and recent trade acquisition Luisangel Acuña has had an impressive spring. Beyond them, however, there are no real apparent long-term solutions in the outfield as things currently stand. Moving to left field could accelerate Antonacci’s timeline to Chicago and create an immediate opportunity for him to have consistent playing time with the big league club.

For White Sox fans, putting an infielder in the outfield may raise some red flags given past experiments with players like Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets. But Antonacci presents a different profile than either of them. His history as a middle infielder suggests has enough athleticism to handle left field, even if he lacks elite speed and arm strength.

Potential Win/Win Scenario

For Sam Antonacci, his chance at the big leagues feels more a matter of if than when. It’s just a matter of finding a place for him to play that makes sense for him and the team considering the organization’s strengths. If his potential transition to the outfield goes smoothly, it would be a win-win for everyone involved.