With ‘role model’ Jose Abreu in the house, Miguel Vargas taking baton in White Sox’ Cuban legacy

The White Sox’ lineage of Cuban-born players maybe wasn’t trumpeted quite as much when Miguel Vargas was acquired as it was when Luis Robert Jr., Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu joined the organization.

But Vargas is starting to look like he could be the next link in a chain that stretches back to Minnie Minoso.

After his dismal showing at the outset of his Sox tenure last summer, Vargas has undoubtedly been better in 2025, good enough, in fact, that he’s an unquestioned member of the team’s budding position-player corps. The debuts of Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, another Cuban-born youngster, have been the brightest spots to date in Chris Getz’s rebuilding project.

Vargas’ growth has been among the positives, too, and he looked the part of a core member in the first two games of this weekend’s series with the Padres, homering off former Sox ace Dylan Cease in Friday’s win and driving in a run with a first-inning double in Saturday’s 7-3 loss.

Vargas also got some joy out of putting on a show with his home-country hero in the house.

Abreu returned to Rate Field this weekend, giving Vargas a chance to reconnect with his countryman and inspiration.

“He’s one of the best players in my country, probably the best,” Vargas said Friday. “He’s such a great person. I’ve been talking with him so long, since I’ve been in the big leagues. He’s helped me a lot in the offseason.

“He’s my idol and my role model. I have nothing but love for him. It was great to have him here.”

Time will tell if Vargas ends up ranking among Abreu and Minoso as Cuban icons on the South Side. But he’s part of the legacy now, teamed with longtime friend Robert and wearing the same colors as his longtime idol, Abreu.

“A long time ago, when I was in Cuba, all of this was a dream for me,” he said. “I’ve been seeing so many Cuban baseball players represent this jersey and the city. For me, it’s special to be part of that group.”

Staying home?

Sox right fielder and Palatine native Mike Tauchman has enjoyed playing for his hometown teams.

Just don’t get him going about what’s going on with the Kennedy.

“The last three years have been great,” he said Monday. “I wish the highway project moved a little faster, personally. I was really happy when the express lanes opened up.”

Tauchman has provided a lot for these rebuilding Sox as a veteran presence in the clubhouse. The team has raved about him so much that it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s back in 2026.

Under club control, his return would potentially be easier for the Sox to engineer than, say, that of veteran lefty Martin Perez, whose employment would require a pricey mutual option getting picked up or a newly negotiated free-agent pact.

“Tauch’s been really good,” Getz said Wednesday. “It’s good for our clubhouse to see a guy at this stage of his career, fight the way that he does. But most importantly, he’s been a productive player. He’s a guy that you target, players like that.

“We’ll have our conversations with Tauch and his group, and [we’re] certainly open-minded in bringing him back in some capacity.”