White Sox Making a Change at Catcher & DFA Veteran Reese McGuire

Feb 17, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox catcher Drew Romo poses for a portrait during photo day at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

White Sox Making a Change at Catcher & DFA Veteran Reese McGuire

Originally posted on Chicago White Sox on SI
By Elias Schuster | Last updated Apr 25, 2026 12:58 PM ET

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The youth movement continues for the Chicago White Sox.

Ahead of Saturday afternoon's meeting with the Washington Nationals, the Sox chose to make a tweak at catcher. Veteran Reese McGuire was designated for assignment in an effort to make room for Drew Romo. The Charlotte Knights backstop was claimed off waivers this offseason and has gone on to suit up in 17 games so far at the Triple-A level.

McGuire sees his second stint with the Sox come to a possible end after only 11 appearances. GM Chris Getz surprised many fans when he chose to bring McGuire into the fold shortly before the regular season began. Many believed that Korey Lee would be on his way toward an Opening Day roster spot as Edgar Quero's backup, specifically since Kyle Teel was set to start 2026 on the IL. Nevertheless, the Sox opted to bring in McGuire, who ultimately batted a mere .172 with nine strikeouts in his 29 at-bats.

Drew Romo Gets the Call After Hot Start

Only 24 years old, Drew Romo will still arrive on the South Side with some MLB experience already under his belt. The former No. 35 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies, Romo would appear in a total of 19 games with the franchise between 2024 and 2025. In that small sample size, he recorded nine hits and six RBIs, though he struck out a concerning 18 times.

Unlike Edgar Quero or Kyle Teel, however, Romo was never necessarily viewed as an offense-first guy. MLB Pipeline has long considered him a plus-defender, and he will likely get several chances to prove that with his third taste of the bigs. Teel remains on the IL and has yet to receive the green light for rehab assignments. While there is a hope that it will come soon, the Sox clearly want to get more out of that position ASAP.

Romo has put together a very strong first month with the Charlotte Knights. Over his 17 outings, he has looked like a far more dependable two-way player, batting .298/.385/.581. Romo's 11 RBIs are third on the team, while his 17 knocks are tied for second. Once again, combine this with his consistently dependable defensive work, and Romo has earned a closer look.

The big question now is what happens at the position once Teel does prove he is ready to return? Will the Sox choose to keep three catchers in the fold, or is Romo coming up knowing that his days are numbered? If one thing is for sure, using Romo at DH likely wouldn't make a ton of sense for Will Venable, even if he is a switch-hitter. The primary reason to keep him on the roster long-term will be to take advantage of his defensive chops.

This article first appeared on Chicago White Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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