The Chicago White Sox have selected Will Venable as their new manager, looking to him to help improve the team after a tough season.
Two individuals familiar with the decision told The Associated Press about the hiring on Wednesday, but asked to remain anonymous since the team had not yet made an official announcement.
Venable, who just turned 42, is replacing Pedro Grifol, who was let go in August when the White Sox were on track to set a record for the most losses in a season. Under interim manager Grady Sizemore, the team ended with a 41-121 record.
For the last two years, Venable served as an associate manager for the Texas Rangers, where he managed daily schedules and provided outfield coaching. The Rangers won the World Series in 2023.
Venable was both a baseball and basketball player while studying anthropology at Princeton, earning all-Ivy League honors in both sports.
He was chosen by San Diego in the seventh round of the 2005 draft. During his nine years in Major League Baseball, he played for the Padres, Rangers, and Dodgers, achieving a .249 batting average with 81 home runs, 307 RBIs, and 135 steals in 967 games.
After his playing days, Venable worked in the Cubs’ front office starting in September 2017 as a special assistant to baseball operations. He also spent three years on the major league coaching staff, serving two seasons as first base coach and one as third base coach.
Before joining the Rangers, he was the bench coach for Red Sox manager Alex Cora for two years.
Venable comes from a family with a strong athletic background. His father, Max, played in the majors for 12 seasons and also worked as a minor league manager and coach. Will’s brother, Winston, played college football at Boise State and appeared in 12 games with the Chicago Bears in 2011.
