White Sox Hold First Full-Squad Spring Training Workout

Newly acquired Luisangel Acuna joins young core as White Sox prepare for Cactus League play

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The Chicago White Sox held their first full-squad workout of spring training, with newly acquired prospect Luisangel Acuna joining the team's young core of players on the field for the first time. Third baseman Miguel Vargas is looking to stay healthy and play all 162 games this season, while manager Will Venable is focused on helping Vargas make technical adjustments to his game. Meanwhile, across town, Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon is working on developing a changeup pitch and trying to avoid social media criticism after allowing a home run in live batting practice.

Why it matters

Spring training is a crucial time for MLB teams to get their rosters ready for the upcoming season. The White Sox are looking to build on a strong second half of 2025 and make a playoff push, while the Cubs are hoping Taillon can build on his own second-half success as they aim to return to the postseason.

The details

The White Sox held their first full-squad workout, with newly acquired prospect Luisangel Acuna joining the team's young core of players on the field for the first time. Third baseman Miguel Vargas is focused on staying healthy and playing all 162 games this season, while manager Will Venable is working with him on technical adjustments to his game. Over at Cubs camp, pitcher Jameson Taillon is developing a changeup pitch and trying to avoid social media criticism after allowing a home run in live batting practice.

  • The White Sox held their first full-squad workout on Monday, February 16, 2026.
  • The Cubs and White Sox will meet on Friday in a Cactus League preseason game to start spring training.

The players

Luisangel Acuna

A newly acquired prospect for the Chicago White Sox.

Miguel Vargas

The White Sox's third baseman, who is looking to stay healthy and play all 162 games this season.

Will Venable

The manager of the Chicago White Sox, who is working with Vargas on technical adjustments to his game.

Jameson Taillon

The Chicago Cubs pitcher, who is developing a changeup pitch and trying to avoid social media criticism.

Alex Bregman

A new slugger for the Chicago Cubs who hit a home run off Taillon during live batting practice.

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What they’re saying

“I wanna be healthy the whole year. I think that's my main thing. Also, I want to be able to play third base every single day, all 162 games. That's a big challenge.”

— Miguel Vargas, White Sox third baseman

“We saw Miggy make some adjustments, unlocked some stuff at the plate, and then it went away a little bit there. And, for him to be the player he wants to be, he's going to have to sustain those adjustments and get his swing to a spot where he's consistent. You know, I think there's some things defensively ... there's some technical stuff that we're cleaning up that he's attacking and jumping into and excited to improve.”

— Will Venable, White Sox Manager

“It's really nice have a superstar like him next to me and learning how educated he is and how professional he is.”

— Miguel Vargas

“Last year, I wasn't on Twitter all year, so it was just a good sign to log off. (It's) February 11, and I have people, when I open the app, making me feel bad about myself. It's just a good sign that people's opinions don't matter and the work I'm doing is good, so we'll log off of there. On Instagram, I've got it kinda curated to coffee, Pokémon cards, and video games, so we're safe on Instagram.”

— Jameson Taillon, Cubs pitcher

“This is my 16th spring training, and last year was my 15th, and I've never had a change-up before that I was confident in to get that direction, so to be able to add that really helped me against lefties.”

— Jameson Taillon, Cubs pitcher

What’s next

The Cubs and White Sox will meet on Friday in a Cactus League preseason game to start spring training.

The takeaway

Spring training is a crucial time for MLB teams to get their rosters ready for the upcoming season. The White Sox are looking to build on a strong second half of 2025 and make a playoff push, while the Cubs are hoping Taillon can build on his own second-half success as they aim to return to the postseason.