The White Sox earned their first win of Spring Training thanks to some big-time hits by some of their most intriguing young players.
The Chicago White Sox have a long way to go before they prove capable of taking the next step, but they're off to a good start! Facing off against the Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, on Friday, the White Sox wasted no time showing off their new firepower.
Recently signed outfielder and former All-Star Austin Hays made his Sox debut as No. 3 in the lineup. Serving as one of the new experienced voices in this young locker room, he immediately looked the part by helping the Sox avoid a three-up, three-down 1st inning. After Curtis Mead and Kyle Teel walked back to the dugout empty-handed, Hays smashed the first pitch he saw over the fence. Cubs righty Jameson Taillon threw a four-seamer right in the middle of the zone. Hays proceeded to send it 428 feet into deep left-center. And, yes, he knewHays bat flip was nothing compared to his young teammates, though. Manager Will Venable went with prospect Sam Antonacci at second base. The former Coastal Carolina standout made his way up the farm system fast last season, and his bomb in the 2nd inning helped show why. After centerfielder Derek Hill drew a walk, Antonacci took two strikes before connecting on another four-seamer by Taillon. While this one didn't travel as far as Hays' blast, Antonacci still sent it 417 feet with a 109.5 mph exit velocity.The White Sox took a 3-1 lead from there and never looked back. They would finish the Spring Training opener with a dominant 8-1 lead, which included a few more encouraging at-bats from their most promising young talent.Feb 20, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery celebrates with center fielder Derek Hill after hitting a two run homerun against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Following Sam Antonacci's powerful home run, former Rays prospect Tristan Peters was able to knock in DH Korey Lee to make it a 4-1 game. The 4th inning would bring Munetaka Murakami to the plate with the bases loaded. A scenario the Sox hope to find themselves in a whole lot more moving forward, Murakami made the most of it thanks to a stroke of luck. The slugger sent the ball deep into right field and narrowly had himself a grand slam. Still, the Cubs' Seiya Suzuki should have been able to come down on it at the warning track, but he lost the ball in the Arizona sun. Two more runs scored for the South Side squad. For what it's worth, the prior at-bat in the 3rd inning is when Murakami recorded his first hit as a member of the franchise. He may not have sent it over the wall, but the single that rolled into right field came off the bat at 108.3 mph.Fast forward to the 8th inning, and White Sox fans got to see another highly-touted piece come up with a big play. Braden Montgomery came in for Hays during the bottom of the 5th. His first at-bat ended in a six-pitch strikeout, but his second go around proved a whole lot more successful., Montgomery immediately turned on a slider and sent it over the head of the Cubs' centerfielder. Not only did Baker score, but Montgomery made his way to third standing up. MLB's No. 36 overall prospect Braden Montgomery puts his power and speed on display with this RBI triple for theWhile Montgomery is not expected to break camp, the 22-year-old enters 2026 with extremely high expectations. The White Sox even seemingly left room in their outfield for an easy call-up, assuming Montgomery proves ready to roll after some early action in the minors. As for starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon, his 1.2 innings of action were a mixed bag. He let up an early homer to Seiya Suzuki and walked one. However, he still managed to throw three strikeouts with some solid off-speed work. It was likely enough to earn him another start as he attempts to fight for a spot in the rotation. The White Sox will be back in action tomorrow at Camelback Ranch against the Athletics, where plenty of other familiar faces are expected to make their spring debut.Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.White Sox Lineup for Spring Training Opener vs. Cubs – What Stands Out Most?
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