White Sox roster outlook for 2020: Who will return and who will be gone?

Year 3 of the White Sox rebuild is complete.

General manager Rick Hahn said the team is ready for the next phase.

“We’ve gotten ourselves to the end of the first stage of this rebuild,” Hahn said Friday, “and we’re ready, come this offseason and next year, to take that next step and head deeper down the path toward competitiveness and ultimately winning championships as we get to where we want to be.”

Here’s who might stay, and might be gone, from the 2019 roster.

Pitchers

Manny Banuelos

Status: Under team control.

Injuries prevented any sustained impact. Banuelos, 28, appeared in 16 games, including eight starts.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? Injuries make it difficult to project what role he might have.

Aaron Bummer

Status: Under team control.

Bummer, 25, became a go-to reliever, particularly in the seventh and eighth innings.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He has displayed the willingness to go more than one inning. He’s an ideal setup man capable of getting big outs.

Ryan Burr

Status: Under team control.

Burr, 25, underwent Tommy John surgery June 25.

Will he return in 2020? Eventually.

Why? The Sox will have to wait to see how long the recovery process takes.

Dylan Cease

Status: Under team control.

Cease, 23, joined the team July 3 and showed flashes of the potential that made him one of the team’s prized prospects.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He’s one of the core young pitchers in the rotation and will look to make a leap after posting a 5.79 ERA in 2019.

Alex Colome

Status: Arbitration eligible.

Colome, 30, was one of the more reliable closers in the American League, converting 30 of 33 save chances with a 2.80 ERA.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? Dependable ninth-inning pitchers are not easy to come by.

Jimmy Cordero

Status: Under team control.

A midseason pickup, Cordero, 27, became a pleasant surprise out of the bullpen.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? His 2.75 ERA in 30 appearances with the Sox showed he has turned a corner.

Dylan Covey

Status: Arbitration eligible.

Covey, 27, appeared in 18 games, including 12 starts, but couldn’t find a consistent groove. Injuries cost him portions of the season.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He’s a possible option for long relief or a spot start.

Ross Detwiler

Status: Free agent.

Detwiler, 33, served a role as the fifth starter, eating up innings late in the season.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? Starting pitching is a priority in the offseason, which might squeeze him out of a spot.

Jace Fry

Status: Under team control.

Fry, 25, led the Sox with 68 appearances.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? The Sox will need left-handed help out of the bullpen.

Carson Fulmer

Status: Under team control.

Fulmer, 25, dealt with a variety of injuries. He made 20 appearances, including serving as an opener twice.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? The 2015 first-round pick will likely get another look.

Lucas Giolito

Status: Under team control.

Giolito, 24, emerged as one of the top pitchers in the American League. He finished in the top 10 in ERA (fifth, 3.41) and strikeouts (seventh, 228).

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He’ll look to build on a breakthrough season in which he became the staff ace.

Kelvin Herrera

Status: Signed through 2020 (team option for 2021).

Herrera, 29, dealt with an oblique injury for part of the season. He finished with a 6.14 ERA.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? The Sox are anticipating a bounce-back season.

Michael Kopech

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Status: Under team control.

Kopech, 23, missed the season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? The No. 2 prospect in the organization will be a key part of the rebuild. He expects to be ready for spring training.

Reynaldo Lopez

Status: Under team control.

Lopez, 25, had his share of ups and downs, going 10-15. He tossed a one-hitter Sept. 5 against the Indians, then lost his next three starts before ending the season with a win.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He’ll look for a more consistent season in the middle of the rotation after finishing with a 5.38 ERA.

Evan Marshall

Status: Arbitration eligible.

Marshall, 29, was one of the team’s top relievers along with Aaron Bummer and Alex Colome. He had a 2.49 ERA in 55 outings.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He played a key role in a bullpen that rarely gave up late leads.

Ivan Nova

Status: Free agent.

Nova, 32, provided a veteran presence in the middle of the rotation.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? The Sox will likely look for a long-term solution as they attempt to solidify the rotation.

Josh Osich

Status: Arbitration eligible.

The left-handed Osich, 30, logged 67? relief innings and had a 4.68 ERA.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? He might get left out of the bullpen shuffle depending on the price.

Carlos Rodon

Status: Arbitration eligible.

Rodon, 26, made seven starts before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Will he return in 2020? Eventually.

Why? The No. 3 pick in the 2014 draft could be an option later in the season once his recovery is complete.

Jose Ruiz

Status: Under team control.

Ruiz, 24, split the season between the Sox (5.63 ERA in 40 outings) and Triple-A Charlotte (1.26 ERA in 11 outings).

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He could be useful in the middle innings.

Hector Santiago

Status: Free agent.

A late-season addition, Santiago, 31, showed a willingness to pitch in a variety of roles.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? The Sox will search for bullpen help in the offseason, which will likely limit available slots.

Catcher

Welington Castillo

Status: $8 million team option for 2020.

Castillo, 32, spent time as the backup catcher and as the designated hitter, finishing with a .209 average, 12 home runs and 41 RBIs.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? Zack Collins will likely get the first crack at backing up James McCann.

Zack Collins

Status: Under team control.

Collins, 24, spent most of the season at Triple-A Charlotte. He returned to the majors in September and hit .233 with two home runs in the final month.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? The 10th pick in the 2016 draft should be in line for an extended look. He can also aid the team as the designated hitter and at first base.

James McCann

Status: Arbitration eligible.

McCann, 29, earned his first All-Star selection and posted career highs in home runs (18) and RBIs (60).

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? While his offensive production tailed off after the All-Star break, he continued to be a huge asset behind the plate.

Infielders

Jose Abreu

Status: Free agent.

The 32-year-old first baseman became the first Sox player to lead the AL in RBIs since Dick Allen in 1972. He also led the team with 33 home runs.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? Abreu set a career high with 123 RBIs. He has made it clear he wants to return, even joking that he would sign himself.

Tim Anderson

Status: Signed through 2022 (team options for 2023 and 2024).

Anderson, 26, became the first Sox player to win the AL batting title since Frank Thomas in 1997, finishing with a major-league-best .335 average.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? The shortstop made a tremendous leap from 2018, improving his average by a team-record .095.

Ryan Goins

Status: Arbitration eligible.

Goins, 31, played shortstop, third base and the outfield after getting called up from Charlotte after the All-Star break.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? With prospect Nick Madrigal on the way in 2020, there might not be room on the roster for the veteran.

Danny Mendick

Status: Under team control.

A September call-up, Mendick, 26, produced offensively and played steady defense in a reserve role at shortstop and second base.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He did enough during September to earn a chance at a backup role.

Yoan Moncada

Status: Under team control.

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Moncada, 24, had the team’s most complete offensive season with a .915 OPS while making a smooth transition from second to third base.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? He made great strides in 2019, finishing third in the AL in batting at .315.

Yolmer Sanchez

Status: Arbitration eligible.

Sanchez, 27, was one of the better defensive second basemen in the AL and specialized in the little things such as bunting.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? The Sox might have a less expensive option in Danny Mendick to fill the void until Nick Madrigal is ready.

Matt Skole

Status: Under team control.

Called up in the middle of the season, Skole, 29, played in a reserve role at first base and as the designated hitter.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? The Sox are in the market for a designated hitter, and Zack Collins can fill the backup role at first base.

Outfielders

Ryan Cordell

Status: Under team control.

Cordell, 27, played solid defense as a fourth/fifth outfielder.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? More of a numbers game. The Sox are in the market for a right fielder, which could put the squeeze on potential playing time in the big leagues.

Adam Engel

Status: Under team control.

A spectacular defensive center fielder, Engel, 27, had a strong September at the plate with four home runs.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? Luis Robert will be the starting center fielder eventually, but the question is when will he arrive.

Leury Garcia

Status: Arbitration eligible.

The versatile Garcia, 28, can play the infield and outfield and gave the Sox someone to plug in every day at the top of the lineup.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? His ability to play every outfield position as well as shortstop and second base makes him valuable.

Jon Jay

Status: Free agent.

A hip strain caused Jay, 34, to miss time at the start of the season and ended his season at the end of August.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? The Sox will explore free agency for a veteran outfielder.

Eloy Jimenez

Status: Signed through 2024 (team options for 2025 and 2026).

Jimenez’s 31 home runs were the third-most by a Sox rookie. Only two trips to the injured list slowed him down.

Will he return in 2020? Yes.

Why? Jimenez, 22, showed why he is one of the core hitters for the future.

Daniel Palka

Status: Under team control.

Palka hit 27 home runs in 2018, but the 27-year-old struggled mightily this season with a .107 average and two home runs.

Will he return in 2020? No.

Why? As with Ryan Cordell, it will come down to numbers. If the Sox can find a right fielder and designated hitter in the offseason, there might not be enough spots on the major-league roster.

Sources: Baseball Prospectus, Spotrac.