After Noah Schultz’s debut last night got White Sox fans buzzing, new news dropped today that continued the team’s roster shakeup.
This afternoon, the White Sox announced that Sam Antonacci has been called up to the big leagues to make his major league debut. The team has not yet announced a corresponding roster move to make room for him on both the 40-man and 26-man rosters.
Antonacci, 23, was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2024 MLB Draft for an over-slot $572,500 signing bonus. A former Illinois JUCO product, he earned national player of the year honors in 2023 before transferring to Coastal Carolina for his final collegiate season. His dominance at the plate put him on draft scouts’ radars, with the Sox being especially familiar with the Sacred Heart-Griffin alumnus.
Since being drafted, Antonacci has done nothing but produce at the plate for the White Sox minor league affiliates. In his first full season in 2025, Antonacci split time between High-A and Double-A, where he slashed .291/.433/.409 between the two levels. He carried that momentum into the offseason, where he was equally impressive both in Spring Training for the White Sox and for Team Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Drafted as a versatile defender who has a hit-over-power profile, Antonacci has surprised some with his uptick in exit velocities. While he should not be mistaken for a power hitter, there is a little more pop in his bat than originally thought. His calling card will still be his bat-to-ball skills and his propensity to get on base, as he has a career OBP above .400 in his minor league career. While he has spent most of his baseball-playing life as a middle infielder, the Sox have been rolling him out in left field for most of the Triple-A season so far. Expect that trend to continue in the majors, where the Sox have a glaring need for more reliable outfielders.
Expect to see Antonacci in the lineup either tonight or in Thursday’s series finale against the Rays.
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