Chicago White Sox roster projection 1.0: Which 26 players will break camp for the 2021 season opener?

Adam Eaton saw firsthand last Monday why expectations are so high for the Chicago White Sox.

“That’s one thing we talked about: The talent is through the roof,” Eaton said of the team’s first full-squad workout. “Some of the (batting practice) I saw and some of the arms I saw are truly some special individuals.

“But you have to come together as a team, you have to come together as a unit, hold each other accountable. If we can do that, I think we can have a lot of success.”

Eaton has championship experience, winning the 2019 World Series with the Washington Nationals. He was traded from the Sox to the Nationals in December 2016 and returned this offseason on a one-year deal.

“It’s every ballplayer’s dream to have won a World Series,” Eaton said. “And then to be able to come to a city and a team I’m very familiar with and be able to hopefully try to create that same type of camaraderie and feeling in the city as well as with these guys, it’s pretty special.”

The work is underway in Glendale. Here’s a projection of what the opening 26-man roster could look like.

Starting pitchers (6)

RHP Lucas Giolito

LHP Dallas Keuchel

RHP Lance Lynn

RHP Dylan Cease

RHP Reynaldo Lopez

LHP Carlos Rodon

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Giolito, Keuchel and Lynn each received Cy Young Award votes in 2020. Lynn’s arrival gives the Sox another veteran arm they desperately needed last season.

Expect Cease to be the No. 4 starter. And with Michael Kopech likely to be used out of the bullpen early in the season, the options for the fifth spot include Lopez and Rodon.

Lopez spent a portion of his offseason working with San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto.

“There’s always competition,” Lopez said through an interpreter. “Every year you come here to compete. It doesn’t matter if you have a secure spot in the rotation or not. When you come here, you come here with that mindset that you have to fight for a spot.”

Rodon has battled injuries throughout his career but said he entered camp feeling “100%.” After being non-tendered in December, he re-signed with the team in a move announced Feb. 1.

“When we agreed upon the contract, it was to come into camp as a starter,” Rodon said. “That’s what I’m showing up working toward.”

Also on the 40-man roster: RHP Jonathan Stiever, RHP Jimmy Lambert, LHP Bernardo Flores Jr.

Relief pitchers (7)

RHP Liam Hendriks

LHP Aaron Bummer

RHP Evan Marshall

LHP Garrett Crochet

RHP Michael Kopech

RHP Codi Heuer

RHP Matt Foster

The bullpen was a strength in 2020, and then the Sox added perhaps the best closer in baseball by signing Hendriks to a four-year deal. He’ll take over for Alex Colome, who signed with the Minnesota Twins.

Bummer and Marshall have been phenomenal setup men. Heuer, Crochet and Foster each made big impacts as rookies in 2020, and Kopech, like Rodon and Lopez, could aid the rotation as well as help the pen.

Right-hander Jimmy Cordero might have to start the season serving a suspension for hitting Cubs catcher Willson Contreras with a pitch during the final series of the regular season. Cordero appealed at the time. And left-hander Jace Fry will begin the season on the injured list after undergoing a microdiscectomy in his back in January. He’s scheduled to return in May.

Also on the 40-man: Cordero, Fry, RHP Zack Burdi, RHP Jose Ruiz, RHP Tyler Johnson

Catchers (3)

Yasmani Grandal

Jonathan Lucroy

Zack Collins

Grandal will do the majority of the catching after sharing the role in 2020 with James McCann, who signed with the New York Mets in the offseason.

McCann’s departure opens the door for the backup role. Lucroy, a non-roster invitee, would give the Sox an experienced player to fill that spot. The 34-year-old is a two-time All-Star.

In addition to being a backup catcher, Collins could also be an option at designated hitter. The 2016 first-round pick had one hit in 16 at-bats last season.

Also on the 40-man: Yermin Mercedes, Seby Zavala

Infielders (6)

Jose Abreu

Nick Madrigal

Tim Anderson

Yoan Moncada

Leury Garcia

Andrew Vaughn

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This has the potential to be one of the top infields in the American League.

Abreu won the AL MVP Award in 2020 after leading the Sox in several categories, including home runs (19) and RBIs (60). It was the first baseman’s second consecutive season topping the AL in RBIs.

Anderson won a batting title in 2019 and finished second in the AL last season. He also made strides defensively at shortstop.

Moncada looks to bounce back after his 2020 season was hampered by the aftereffects of COVID-19. The third baseman finished third in the AL in batting average in 2019.

Madrigal had a .340 batting average in 29 games as a rookie in 2020. The second baseman is known for his ability to put the bat on the ball.

Garcia is a versatile backup, capable of playing the infield and outfield.

Vaughn, the team’s top prospect, is competing for the open DH slot. The No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft would be making the jump from Class A ball after the 2020 minor-league season was canceled because of COVID-19.

Also on the 40-man: Danny Mendick, Jake Burger, Gavin Sheets

Outfielders (4)

Eloy Jimenez

Luis Robert

Adam Eaton

Adam Engel

The Sox have two talented young outfielders in Jimenez and Robert.

Jimenez, 24, elevated his game to another level in his second season in the big leagues in 2020, finishing second on the team with 14 home runs and 41 RBIs. However, an injury prevented him from making a sustained impact in the postseason. He had only two at-bats and doubled before leaving Game 3 of the wild-card series against the A’s with discomfort in his right foot.

“I was a little bit frustrated with that; it was the end of the season,” Jimenez said. “But this year is different, it’s going to be better and I’m going to enjoy the playoffs too.”

Robert, 23, finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2020 and won a Gold Glove. Robert had a hot start, hitting nine of his 11 home runs in August. But he cooled down in September, slashing .136/.237/.173 with one home run and seven RBIs. He’s looking to make a jump similar to Jimenez from his first to second season.

The left-handed-hitting Eaton and the right-handed-hitting Engel give the Sox options in right field from both sides of the plate.

“I want to make sure that wherever they see me fit, that’s where I’m going to be fitting in and I’m going to do the best job I can possible,” Eaton said.

Also on the 40-man: Micker Adolfo, Luis Gonzalez, Blake Rutherford