Chicago bolsters its outfield with Derek Hill while parting ways with three players through non-tender, shaking up the White Sox lineup. DD
Derek Hill return to the White Sox in 2026, while Mike Tauchman, Tim Elko and Cam Booser have become free agents.
The White Sox had until 5 p.m. ET Friday to make decisions on players under club control who had not signed contracts for the 2026 season.
The team announced it has agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract with outfielder Derek Hill, avoiding arbitration. The White Sox also declined to to tender 2026 contracts to outfielder Mike Tauchman, first baseman Tim Elko and left-handed pitcher Cam Booser, making them unrestricted free agents.
All remaining unsigned players on the White Sox 40-man roster have been tendered contracts for the 2026 season, according to the team’s news release. As a result of these moves, the White Sox 40-man roster decreased to 34.
The White Sox acquired Hill, 29, on Sept. 24 off waivers from Miami, and he went 2-for-7 in his short time with the team. He’s one of five outfielders on the 40-man roster, along with Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, Everson Pereira and Brooks Baldwin.
With the Marlins in 2025, Hill slashed .213/.275/.331 in 141 plate appearances with three home runs, 10 RBI, seven stolen bases, nine walks and 46 strikeouts before being designated for assignment on Sept. 22.
Tauchman, Elko, Booser headed to free agency
Tauchman regularly hit at or near the top of the White Sox lineup in 2025 and was regarded as a strong veteran leader for an otherwise young team. Now he’s become a free agent.
The 34-year-old Palatine, Ill. native spent one season with the White Sox, slashing .263/.356/.400/.756 with nine home runs, 40 RBIs, 45 walks and 86 strikeouts. Injuries limited him to 93 games. If the White Sox chose to keep him, Tauchman had been projected for a $3.4 million contract, per MLB Trade Rumors.
Elko, 26, made for an intriguing development toward the start of the 2025 season because of his hot start in Triple-A. But that success didn’t translate to the major leagues, where Elko slashed .134/.194/.328/.523 with four home runs, eight RBIs, five walks and 30 strikeouts.
He underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in October. First basemen on the White Sox 40-man roster now include Miguel Vargas, Lenyn Sosa and Curtis Mead.
Prior to his MLB debut, Elko was one of the best minor league hitters, ranking sixth in hits (39), tied for first in home runs (10), tied for 10th in RBI (23), fifth in batting average (.348), seventh in on-base percentage (.431), second in slugging percentage (.670) and second in OPS (1.100) through 31 games and 130 plate appearances.
Booser, 33, moved between the White Sox and Triple-A Charlotte Knights in 2025 and spent time on the injured list. In 39 major league relief appearances, he recorded a 5.52 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 19 walks.
