White Sox Release 13 Minor Leaguers to Free Agency
Thirteen Chicago White Sox minor league players elected or entered free agency ahead of an expected MLB lockout beginning December 1.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Baseball
Thirteen Chicago White Sox minor league players, including pitchers Aidan Anderson, Adisyn Coffey, Dylan Cumming, Jairo Iriarte, Jarold Rosado, and Tyler Gilbert, have elected minor league free agency. Catchers and infielders Korey Lee, Tim Elko, Andy Weber, and Riley Unroe also elected free agency, while Jake Cave, Joey Wiemer, and Junior Pérez entered it.
Why it matters
The move signals that many of these players are set to depart the White Sox organization. The timing is tied to an expected lockout on December 1 that would halt free agency across Major League Baseball.
Gilbert pitched 51 major league games (six starts) from 2025 to 2026 and posted a 3.88 ERA in 46 games in 2025. Pérez batted .171/.194/.429 in 22 games in 2026 after being acquired from the Athletics for Jackson Nove.
The players
Tyler Gilbert
Gilbert is a pitcher who has appeared in 51 major league games, most recently for the White Sox, and is among the players who elected free agency.
Korey Lee
Lee is a catcher whose 2023 acquisition in a one-for-one swap for Kendall Graveman brought him to Chicago, and who played 125 games in 2024.
The details
Players elected minor league free agency rather than receiving major league contracts, and the Future Sox compiled the list of 13 names. Several players carry notable histories: Iriarte was part of the return from the San Diego Padres in the Dylan Cease deal, Thorpe underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025, and Elko suffered a torn ACL.
Timeline
2023: Korey Lee acquired in a one-for-one swap for Kendall Graveman.
2024: Jairo Iriarte pitched six major league games for Chicago.
2025: Tim Elko suffered a torn ACL and Thorpe underwent Tommy John surgery.
2026: Junior Pérez was acquired from the Athletics for Jackson Nove.
December 1, 2026: An expected MLB lockout would halt free agency.
Season Trajectory
The departures come after the record-breaking 121-loss 2024 season and reflect a rebuilding organization clearing minor league depth before the 2021-22 lockout-style freeze on transactions. Changes like these shape the organization's competitive window as it reorganizes its farm system.
Fans tracking the White Sox farm system and fantasy prospects will need to watch where these 13 players sign next, since most are unlikely to return to Chicago. A lockout starting December 1 would pause any signings until it ends.
The takeaway
Thirteen departures in a single move show how quickly a minor league roster can turn over before a labor stoppage, so tracking transactions around December 1 is the best way to follow the White Sox organization.
What happens next
The expected MLB lockout begins December 1, 2026, which would halt free agency and roster transactions.
Further reading
Explore more Chicago Baseball coverage to follow how the White Sox rebuild unfolds.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sports Illustrated.
