The Chicago White Sox will require all minor leaguers to show proof they have received the COVID-19 vaccine booster before taking their spring training physical on Feb. 21, report ESPN's Jeff Passan and The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and James Fegan. MLB is not requiring minor leaguers to be vaccinated in 2022. The White Sox instituted their own mandate.
"The Chicago White Sox are requiring all of our employees to be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination status, and this requirement extends to our minor-league players as well," the team said in a statement. "We believe this is the right thing to do to protect the health and well being of all of our players and staff across the organization."
Rosenthal and Fegan report that players who do not comply with the White Sox's vaccine mandate will be prohibited from participating in spring training and could be placed on the restricted list, which would amount to a suspension for breaking team rules. The team will not honor any requests for release to protect against players using the mandate to leave the organization.
The White Sox required minor leaguers to be vaccinated last spring and had 100 percent compliance.
MLB's lockout does not apply to non 40-man roster minor leaguers. Minor league spring training will open in the coming days and the minor league season will begin as scheduled in April. If the lockout continues into the regular season, 40-man roster players will not be able to play, otherwise it will be business as usual in the minors.
Major League Baseball can not implement a vaccine mandate for 40-man roster players without the Players Association's approval. Last spring MLBPA head Tony Clark said the union is "encouraging guys to consider it ... but It's not mandatory."
It is unclear whether any other teams will require their minor leaguers to be vaccinated in 2022.
