Latest White Sox 40-man moves

Colson Montgomery and Juan Carela added in advance of the Rule 5 draft, Austin Slater signed for RF platoon

On Wednesday, the White Sox announced the signing of outfielder Austin Slater. The deal is the definition of buy-low, as it will cost the White Sox just $1.75 million for 2025 with a possible max-out of $2.25 million with incentives.

The 31-year-old slashed .209/.321/.266 last year with the Giants, Reds and Orioles. Why pay a dude like that anything at all? Well, in his career the 6´1´´ fireplug has feasted at .252/.342/.385 with 171 homers and 48 stolen bases over 634 games.

He’s been a primary center fielder but would seem to be sized up as a platoon fit with Dominic Fletcher in right field: The righty masher has gone .271/.364/.429 with 25 homers against lefties.

The signing increases the White Sox 40-man roster to 39, because . . .

On Tuesday, in advance of the Rule 5 draft in December, the White Sox added shortstop Colson Montgomery and right-handed starter Juan Carela to the 40-man roster.

Colson’s move is not to protect but to project, as he is not Rule 5-eligible but will be in the White Sox plans for 2025. As for Carela, who has advanced as far as Double-A Birmingham, he is added primarily for protective purposes; however, with a 3.58 ERA in seven starts there and an overall 3.71 ERA in 23 MiLB starts in 2024, he’s poised to play a role on the 2025 White Sox.