When will White Sox roster transformation finally turn into wins?

Which current players will stick around when White Sox contend?

Jose Abreu will likely finish the 2018 season with 30 home runs and 100 RBI while hitting somewhere near .300 because that’s just what he does. He’s as consistent as they come and a great leader in the clubhouse.

But he is 31 and has one more year of arbitration eligibility prior to becoming a free agent in 2020. It remains to be seen if Rick Hahn will roll the dice and keep Abreu on the roster for a run at a championship or deal him for prospects. He will likely be in his mid-30s when the team is contending, but he could be valuable as a veteran leader.

Tim Anderson is showing more at the plate this season after a slight regression last season. He should reach 20 home runs and 65-70 RBI with regularity. But more importantly, he needs to be on base. He has the ability to impact every game with his speed (35 for 39 in stolen base attempts in career).

He has to become more consistent defensively, but after signing a six-year, $25 million contract extension prior to last season, he will be a mainstay in the White Sox lineup for several years.

Yoan Moncada had fans in a panic after he got off to a slow start this season, but the former MLB top prospect is starting to show signs that he may live up to the hype. Prior to hitting the DL earlier this week, he was slashing .263/.359/.509 with six home runs and 15 RBI. He is certainly a cornerstone of the Chicago White Sox rebuild and they need him to be the guy he was projected to be.

And at this point, there’s no reason to believe that he won’t be that guy.

Avisail Garcia had a nice breakout season in 2017 but has yet to find his stroke this season and is currently on the DL. Like Abreu, there’s been speculation that Garcia will not be around when it matters. He is currently playing on a one-year, $6.7 million deal and is eligible for arbitration again next season.

If Garcia can return to form after coming off the DL, Hahn will have a decision to make. Garcia will turn just 27 next month and could be a big contributor in the middle of the lineup for several more years. Or Hahn could look to flip Garcia at the deadline for more prospects.

Outside of the core group, there are a couple of other guys who may be valuable pieces moving forward.

Both Yolmer Sanchez and Matt Davidson are proving that they can contribute at the major league level. Sanchez could be a very valuable piece to a contending team as a guy that can play multiple positions off the bench and handle the bat. Davidson may have a role as the full-time DH if he can continue to generate his current power numbers.

The remainder of the current position players will not likely be around to see the Chicago White Sox contend for the postseason. The list includes names such as Nicky Delmonico, Trayce Thompson, Adam Engel, Leury Garcia and Welington Castillo.

Nothing wrong with these guys, but if they are still around in a couple of years, the rebuild has hit a wall.

In terms of the pitching staff, there are may be five guys out of the current 13 on the staff that are a part of the future. The list includes Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Carson Fulmer, Nate Jones and Bruce Rondon. And to be honest the last two on this list may not be there either.

Overall, it is likely that more than half of the current roster will be gone over the next two years.