Iriarte, 24, was once a standout prospect. The White Sox acquired him from the Padres two years ago as part of the return for Dylan stops. Its shares have fallen since then. In 2024, he threw 126 Double-A innings. His 3.71 earned run average wasn’t bad, but his 22.8% strikeout rate was a big drop from the 33.2% he had the year before. His walk rate remained high: 10.7%.
The control issues were present before he came to the White Sox, hinting at a possible long-term move to the bullpen. The Sox mainly used him in relief in 2025, but he did not make the move. In 46 Triple-A innings, he had an ERA of 7.24. His 21.6% strikeout rate wasn’t great and his control got worse, with Iriarte walking 16.7% of batters.
He still has an option year left, but that wasn’t enough to convince another club to give him a 40-man spot. This is his first career and he has less than three years of service, so he has no right to choose free agency. The Sox will keep him in a non-roster capacity and try to get him back on track.
Romo, 24, was also once a notable prospect. However, the Rockies recently decided to move on and he has been on the waiver wire this winter. He went from the Rockies to the Orioles, Mets and White Sox via waivers. Now that the Sox have passed on him unclaimed, they will be the ones to keep him. Like Iriarte, Romo has no right to choose freely.
The Rockies took Romo with the 35th overall pick in 2020. Considered a strong defender, his offense was decent enough as he climbed the ladder that he was ranked as one of the top prospects in Colorado’s system and even got some love in the top 100. But his stock has faded lately as he’s struggled at the plate. Last year he slashed .264/.329/.409 in Triple-A, which looks good on the surface but actually translates to a 75 wRC+ in the hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League.
Romo goes to Charlotte and tries to get back on track. He doesn’t have a great path to playing time right now like the Sox do Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero And Korey Lee all on the list. However, Lee is out of options and can be ruled out. There has also been some trading buzz around both Teel and Quero. It also doesn’t seem like the Sox are motivated to make a move, but Romo’s path would improve if a deal gets done. As always, an injury can also change the calculus.
Photo courtesy of Matt Marton, Imagn Images
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