Aaron McGarity
Right-Handed Relief Pitcher
2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking N/R
Charlotte Knights

Aaron McGarity was a lifetime Yankee, drafted in the 15th round in 2017 and steadily working his way up to Triple-A in 2023. Without digging into too much by way of peripheral stats or McGarity’s “stuff,” things really hadn’t clicked much for him over all those years. When his 2023 at Wilkes-Barre stalled north of a 5 ERA, a lack of control and big flies taking an uptick, the writing was on the wall and the righty freed himself.

The minor league free agent assessed paths to the majors and weak minors systems and saw a wide-open opportunity in Charlotte, with the White Sox. And if there’s any heartbreaking story in the 2024 Knights bullpen it was Aaron McGarity not getting the call to make his long-awaited major league debut over the summer. The 29-year-old was by far Charlotte’s best full-season reliever, logging a 2.77 ERA and 1.046 WHIP over 55 games that included a team-high 26 finishes and six saves.

Would McGarity have been eaten up by MLB batters? Perhaps. Did he warrant a shot to hop into the revolving door of AAAA guys and waiver snags and has-beens and never-will on the South Side staff this season? Yes.

Has the muti-faceted McGarity (yes, he sang the National Anthem and closed the same game this year for Charlotte) turned a corner and figured something out? Could well be. And at 30 for Opening Day 2025, he needs to have figured something out.

The good news is that if McGarity is back with Chicago this season, he has every chance to break camp north with the big club. If not, whether on the 40-man or not, the White Sox likely will not be able to pass on another stellar relief season from sweet-singing Aaron, so with solid performance, the MLB debut should finally come.

2024 Sox Populi White Sox Minor League All-Star Team
Ronny Hernandez (C)
Edgar Quero (C) (Player of the Year)
Caden Connor (1B)
Tim Elko (1B)
Ryan Galanie (1B)
Shawn Goosenberg (1B)
Wilmer Difo (2B)
Brooks Baldwin (SS)
Zach DeLoach (LF)
Mason Adams (RHSP)
Aldrin Batista (RHSP)
Ky Bush (LHSP)
Lucas Gordon (LHSP)
Noah Schultz (LHSP) (Pitcher of the Year)
Drew Thorpe (RHSP)
Eric Adler (RHRP)
Adisyn Coffey (RHRP)
Bryce Collins (RHRP)
Aaron McGarity (RHRP)

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Aaron McGarity photo: Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights