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The Lebanon Reporter, Ind.
Five players who stood out from White Sox magical 2026 season
- Story byThe Lebanon Reporter, Ind.
- Five players who stood out from White Sox magical 2026 season
The Chicago White Sox 2026 season was nothing short of magical. The White Sox had lost 100 games the previous three seasons and were projected to be in the cellar of the American League Central once again in 2026.
Instead, the White Sox proved everyone wrong. Behind a strong core of young hitters and encouraging pitching from both the starting rotation and bullpen, Chicago made the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
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It earned a wild-card round victory over the Houston Astros, before losing a 2-0 series lead against the Cleveland Guardians in the division series. The White Sox ultimately lost the series, 3-2, bringing their season to an end.
Considering the expectations, the season was a resounding success for Chicago. It now has a legitimate core to build around and knows where it needs to improve to come back better in 2027, if there's a season.
Here are five players who stood out for the White Sox in 2026.
MIGUEL VARGAS
When Miguel Vargas was traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the White Sox in 2024, it looked like he was going to go down as another prospect bust. Vargas hit a dismal .104 with a .387 OPS in 42 games for the White Sox that season.
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Just two years later and Vargas was arguably the best hitter in the White Sox lineup. The infielder had a stellar 2026 campaign and earned his first All-Star nod.
Vargas clubbed 33 home runs, drove in 93 runs, stole 22 bases and only struck out 25 more times than he walked. He played in 159 of 162 games and batted .250 with an .837 OPS. His Wins Above Replacement came out to a team-high 5.4, cementing his place as one of the most valuable members of the White Sox.
Vargas is slated for arbitration this offseason and his breakout season should earn him a significant raise. He will be 27 on opening day next season and has made himself a significant part of Chicago's future.
GRANT TAYLOR
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Grant Taylor had a decent, but unspectacular rookie season in 2025. There were flashes of potential, with 54 strikeouts in 36 innings, but his ERA was nearly at five. This season, Taylor built on those strikeout numbers while significantly limiting the hits allowed.
Taylor struck out 106 batters in 84 innings, good for 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings. He limited his walks to 30 and only gave up 60 hits as his WHIP was just barely over one, at 1.07. His ERA slid down to 2.25 and he also picked up 10 saves.
The 24-year-old was one of the most important pieces in a White Sox bullpen that was eighth in baseball in bullpen ERA and first in bullpen strikeouts. Taylor is not arbitration-eligible until 2029 so he should be back as a cheap and excellent option in the back of the bullpen again.
SEAN BURKE
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If there was one glaring weakness for the White Sox this season, it was their starting rotation depth. Chicago relied heavily on its bullpen, leading the MLB in reliever innings with 766, in part due to it only having three pitchers to start at least 20 games. Sean Burke was one of those pitchers and he emerged as a potential front-line arm moving forward.
Burke built on a solid 2025 season with an incredibly impressive 2026 campaign. The right-hander pitched to a 3.34 ERA across 172.1 innings. He showcased strong strikeout abilities, punching out 185 batters for a 9.7 K/9. He had solid control as he allowed just 62 walks. He was the winning pitcher in game two of the wild card series and in game two against Cleveland.
With the lack of rotation depth, Burke will almost certainly be an important piece in the White Sox's 2027 rotation. Burke is just 26 and is under team control through 2031.
CHASE MEIDROTH
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Second baseman Chase Meidroth was one of the pieces Chicago got for Garrett Crochet before the 2025 season and he continued to make that trade look like a good one for the White Sox. Meidroth debuted in 2025 and was solid, making most of his impact with his glove. His defense was again valuable in 2026, but his bat was much improved.
Meidroth raised his batting average from .253 to .276 but his most significant jump came in his power. His slugging percentage increased from .320 in 2025 to .415 in 2026. He launched 16 home runs and was tied for the team lead in doubles with 31. His glove remained strong as well and he graded out as one of the elite fielders for his position.
Like most of this core, Meidroth is still young, just 25 years old. He is under team control through 2032 and won't reach arbitration until 2028.
MUNETAKA MURAKAMI
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Chicago signing Munetaka Murakami out of Japan to a two-year, $34-million last offseason was a major surprise across baseball. The Japanese superstar was expected to sign a much larger deal with a contending team, but ended up on the south side of Chicago.
The signing proved to be crucial to the White Sox success and Murakami endeared himself to the fanbase. The first baseman did not hit for a high average, just .207, and he struck out 196 times, but he countered those with power.
Murakami hit 35 home runs and had a slugging percentage of .478 to help boost his OPS to .825, second highest on the team. Those numbers could have been even higher had he not missed more than a month with a hamstring strain suffered in late May.
Murakami is set to be a free agent after the 2027 season, although a contract extension is potentially on the table. The big first baseman won the hearts of fans in his first season in Chicago with his personality and offensive prowess.
