The Chicago White Sox had about as positive a contribution from rookies as a team can have during the 2026 campaign.

After a terrific season that saw over a dozen players make their major league debuts for Chicago, general manager Chris Getz must feel pretty good about the future of this team. And this is especially true after Monday's announcement.

The BBWAA named Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle as the American League Rookie of the Year. While the White Sox had no finalists for the award, they did end up finishing with THREE top-10 finishers. First baseman Munetaka Murakami ranked fourth in voting, 15 points shy of Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle. Center fielder Tristan Peters finished eighth in voting, and left fielder Sam Antonacci finished ninth.

The Cleveland Guardians were the only other team with multiple top-10 selections, with Parker Messick, Chase DeLauter, and Travis Bazzana included. Let's look at how the three White Sox rookies did in 2026!

Munetaka Murakami

It almost feels like Munetaka Murakami should've been a finalist after his explosive home-run-heavy season. However, the fact that he was limited to only 127 games due to a hamstring strain undoubtedly worked against him.

Regardless, he paced all rookies with 35 home runs, making an All-Star appearance. While he struck out 196 times (only behind shortstop Colson Montgomery for the team lead) and batted just .207, he walked and hit for power very often. In fact, his walk rate sat in the 99th percentile, per Baseball Savant. With a .207/.347/.478 slash line, Murakami became a force to be reckoned with and is a true bright spot for this future White Sox team.

Tristan Peters

Perhaps the unlikeliest one on this list before the 2026 season, Tristan Peters finished eighth in rookie of the year voting and made an All-Star appearance. Playing 156 games for the White Sox, Peters slashed .265/.337/.437 with 12 home runs and 56 runs driven in. He also offered some terrific defense.

Peters was a pivotal piece of this 2026 White Sox team, having a stretch of five consecutive games with a home run, among other accomplishments. He has entrenched himself as the center fielder of the future for Chicago.

Sam Antonacci

Sam Antonacci finished ninth in rookie of the year voting after he learned a completely new position during the 2026 season.

The former fifth-round pick had never touched the outfield grass before this year and made an admirable effort. While the output wasn't great defensively, Antonacci was one of the team's best sparkplugs with a .277/.370/.396 slash line. The power wasn't there in year one with just eight home runs, but his on-base ability makes him a valuable piece of this White Sox team moving forward. Fans have to feel great about the future direction of this team with him in the fold.