2026 White Sox Affiliate Preview: Birmingham Barons (Double-A) -

The Birmingham Barons (White Sox AA affilaite) opened the 2026 campaign on the road against the Knoxville Smokies in the Chicago Cubs’ organization. The Barons will host Chattanooga on Tuesday April 7th for their home opener at Regions Field. Could a three-peat be a thing? The Barons have won consecutive Southern League championships and they’ll look to defend that crown this season.

The Barons’ offense struggled last season as the club posted a .659 OPS. They scored 553 runs and hit just 52 homers; the fewest in the league. The pitching was stellar however. They finished 2nd in the league with a 2.99 ERA and .212 batting average against. The club finished 81-57 last year.

Some of the best prospects in the sport generally play in Double-A. There are some members of our top 30 list on this team. The roster is headlined by outfielder Braden Montgomery and left-handed starter Christian Oppor. Both are among the top prospects in the White Sox’s system.

Pat Leyland keeps climbing the managerial ladder as he takes over in Birmingham after spending the previous two seasons in Winston-Salem and Kannapolis. Former Sox’s farmhand Daniel Millwee will be the bench coach for the Barons. John Kovalik returns as the pitching coach for the 2026 season while new addition and former Frontier League star Aaron Hill takes over as the new hitting coach.

Starting Pitchers

Lucas Gordon (24, LHP
Riley Gowens (26, RHP)
Shane Murphy (25, LHP)
Christian Oppor (21, LHP)
Jake Palisch (27, LHP)

There are some Birmingham veterans in this rotation that are deserving of promotions but the Charlotte staff has kept some of these hurlers in Double-A to start the season. Oppor is the main attraction and the 21-year-old could be a top 50 prospect in baseball if things go well in the Southern League. He’s the #6 overall prospect in the system in our recent update and has major prospect helium right now.

The 6-2, 175 pound southpaw has shown three plus pitches with a fastball that reaches 100 mph with a low 80’s sweeping slider and a changeup as well. Oppor is the most athletic pitcher in the system. The lefty posted a 3.08 ERA in 87.2 innings last year. Throwing for Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, the former Wisconsin prep made 22 starts while striking out 116 and walking 42.

Shane Murphy threw 135.1 innings in the high minors last year and posted a minuscule 1.66 ERA with 104 strikeouts and 25 walks. The White Sox originally selected the lefty in the 14th round of the 2022 draft and he broke out last year. The 6-5, 210 pounder has the best control and command in the system.

The 25-year-old has cracked prospect lists despite possessing below-average stuff overall. Murphy throws a 90 mph four seam fastball with a two seam sinker present as well. He also throws a mid 80’s changeup with a low 80’s slider and upper 70’s curveball also in the mix. Lucas Gordon and Riley Gowens are slated to return to the Barons’ rotation as well.

Gowens is a 6-4, 225 pound righty with a four pitch mix. In 27 starts last season, the Illinois native posted a 3.34 ERA with 151 strikeouts and 49 walks in 132 innings. Gordon is a 6-1, 193 pound southpaw with a good changeup and a funky slot. The 24-year-old posted a 3.59 ERA in just over 107 innings. He throws in the low 90’s and struck out 116 hitters last year.

Relief Pitchers

Eric Adler (25, RHP)
Nick Altermatt (26, RHP)
Jake Bockenstedt (26, RHP)
Jacob Heatherly (27, LHP)
Jairo Iriarte (24, RHP)
Jackson Kelley (25, RHP)
Jared Kelley (24, RHP)
Mark McLaughlin (25, RHP)
Jarold Rosado (23, RHP)
Chase Watkins (26, RHP)

Eric Adler is a high profile righty who has been pitching out of the Barons bullpen but he’s been recently assigned to the Arizona Complex League. Iriarte was a secondary piece in the return for right hander Dylan Cease and his career has sputtered to date. Nick Altermatt, Jackson Kelley, Jared Kelley, Jarold Rosado and Chase Watkins join the mix from the right side as well.

Mark McLaughlin posted a 3.48 ERA in 62 minor league innings last year. The righty struck out 67 and walked 21. He was pretty stellar in Winston-Salem and decent in Birmingham. The strikeout rate decreased in the Southern League and he’ll get another shot in 2026. Jacob Heatherly was added as the lone lefty in a true bullpen role.

Outfielders

Caden Connor (25)
Adam Fogel (27)
Braden Montgomery (22)
Rikuu Nishida (24)
Wilfred Veras (23)
Samuel Zavala (21)

Montgomery is the 34th ranked prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline and he returns to Birmingham to start the 2026 season. The 6-2, 220 pounder likely splits time in center field with Samuel Zavala but he profiles as a right fielder with prodigious raw power and a double plus arm. The 22-year-old posted a 133 wRC+ in a 34 games sample with the Barons last year despite only hitting one home run.

Montgomery clubbed 12 homers in total last year across 517 professional plate appearances. He’s expected to be a key cog in the machine for the Barons. The outfielder likely makes his debut in Chicago at some point this summer. Samuel Zavala joins the outfield mix as well while Caden Connor, Rikuu Nishida and Wilfred Veras will all return to Birmingham once again.

Zavala was originally acquired as a piece in the return for Dylan Cease and he’s spent the past two seasons in Winston-Salem with the Dash. The 21-year-old outfielder hit .254/.360/.372 with nine homers and a 13% walk rate in High-A last year. The left-handed hitter posted a 122 wRC+ and played above-average defense in center field over the course of 119 games. The 5-11, 175 pounder should split time in the corners with Braden Montgomery as well.

Caden Connor was originally selected in the 19th round out of California State Fullerton and the left-handed hitter played some first base in addition to the outfield last year. The outfielder posted a 117 wRC+ in the high minors and hit seven home runs. Rikuu Nishida plays some infield as well but the 5-6, 150 pounder posted a 124 wRC+ with the Barons due to a 15% walk rate and 14% strikeout rate. Nishida stole 40 bags on the year as well. Wilfred Veras has big raw power but really struggled in 2025.

Fogel is a 6-5, 220 pound left-handed power hitter who was signed out of the Pioneer League recently. He played for the Missoula Paddleheads.

Infielders

Ryan Galanie (25)
Drake Logan (25)
Jeral Perez (21)
Jordan Sprinkle (25)
Andy Weber (28)

Jeral Perez is the 18th ranked prospect in the White Sox’s system. The 21-year-old was originally acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Erick Fedde and Michael Kopech trade return alongside Miguel Vargas. The right-handed hitter is playing some third base for the Barons after playing mostly second base previously. The infielder hit .244/.315/.448 with a 124 wRC+ in High-A last year. He also clubbed 22 homers.

Ryan Galanie is a 25-year-old out of Wofford he performed very well in the low minors. He played 98 games in Birmingham last year and posted a 119 wRC+ across two levels. The right-handed slugger hit 11 homers though and he’ll need to increase the power output to be seen as a viable option at first base going forward.

Jordan Sprinkle is a good runner and defender and likely spends time at shortstop until Caleb Bonemer takes over eventually. Drake Logan returns about bouncing around affiliates and Andy Weber is a utility type who was previously in the Detroit Tigers system.

Catchers

Jorge Corona (25)
Juan Gonzalez (25)
Calvin Harris (24)

Calvin Harris was a 4th round selection out of Ole Miss in 2023 and the former Iowa prepster has struggled to stay healthy in professional ball. The 24-year-old hits left-handed and has some pop. He posted a 103 wRC+ in the minors last year.

25-year-old Jorge Corona and 25-year-old Juan Gonzalez join Harris in Double-A. Corona is a 6-2, 215 pounder who posted an 84 wRC+ in 34 games last year. He was originally drafted by the Royals in 2029. Gonzalez is a 5-9, 195 pounder who plays good defense but lacks an offensive tool. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the 19th round.