Lonnie White Jr. Is Getting Back On Track in 2026

Back during the 2021 MLB Draft, all eyes were on the Pittsburgh Pirates leading up to draft day. Possessing the number one overall pick in the draft, the Pirates had a very tough decision to make. Most draft experts saw prep prospect Marcelo Mayer, or Vanderbilt right-hander Jack Leiter, as the top players in the class and potential generational choices for the Pirates’ selection, making this a tough decision.

Instead of selecting one of these players, the Pirates decided to go a different direction, selecting Louisville catcher Henry Davis first overall in a truly shocking turn of events. This was a bold but calculated choice, as the club was able to sign him for $6.5 million, a figure nearly $2 million less than the allotted slot value for this pick.

With the Pirates able to save so much money by making this decision, they were able to ink a plethora of other intriguing prospects instead. For example, right-handed flamethrower Bubba Chandler was part of this group, and he’s been worth every penny up until this point.

However, among these over slot picks was Lonnie White Jr., a toolsy prep outfielder from the club’s home state of Pennsylvania. A Penn State commit for both baseball and football, White’s raw tools were among the most interesting in the draft, and the Pirates were in awe with him when they selected him 64th overall. Paying him $1.5 million, White received a signing bonus of nearly $500k over the slot for his pick.

Ever since his draft year, it’s been a struggle for White. From injuries to poor play, White has lagged behind his fellow 2021 Draftees. However, White is turning a corner this season, as he’s been one of the best players in the Pirates’ minor league system in 2026. Slugging his way to Double-A for the first time this season, he’s finally turning a corner.

On the Field At Last

For White, the answer to his newfound success boils down to two components that have often eluded him in the past: physical health and a clear mind.

Prior to 2026, injuries completely decimated the early stages of his career. 2021 and 2022 were filled with elbow and hamstring-related issues that limited him to just 11 games through his first two seasons as a professional.

Things initially looked up the next season until a fractured thumb required surgery in 2023. White also spent time on the injured list fighting a multitude of injuries back in 2024, but managed to play a career-high 89 games during that season, a number that remains well below the expected total for a player in the minor leagues.

The grueling nature of the rehab process in Pirate City took its toll, forcing the young outfielder to mature and grow up quickly.

“Back when I was in Pirate City for a while, it was very stressful that I couldn’t play,” White admitted. “At the same time, it did build me mentally. Like, I just kept going forward even though sometimes I wanted to stop. I just kept going, just kept thinking about my family.”

For a young player trying to navigate health while learning how to become a professional baseball player, it’s easy to understand how things could quickly become overwhelming. In times like this, players have to continue to lean on the people that mean the most to them, and leaning on this support group is exactly what White did.

In addition to constantly thinking of his family, White was able to lean on people in the organization to help him as well. “Another person who really helped me was Mike Gonzalez,” White said regarding the club’s mental performance coordinator. “He really helped me a lot.”

If you’ve attended any games in Altoona this year since White has been promoted, you’ve probably witnessed his support group firsthand without realizing it. Shortly after his Double-A debut, White’s parents came to town, and their sheer passion for watching their son play was infectious.

On May 15, White had one of his strongest games of 2026, going 3-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBI while finishing a triple shy of the cycle. In this game, White came to the plate in the eighth with a chance to finish off the cycle, but went down swinging instead.

Following the strikeout, his mother, Reggie, called out to her son saying, “It’s okay, Lon, I still love you!” Being in earshot of this myself, I couldn’t help but smile, as this was the perfect reflection of what White was able to lean on during the early challenges of his professional career.

Producing At the Plate

Although it’s been important to see White become healthy once again, the lone act of being healthy could only take him so far. In 2026, White has delivered while he’s been on the field, as he’s currently in the midst of the best season of his career by a wide margin.

Through 59 games between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, White has slashed .286/.394/.549 with a 140 wRC+, a level that he’s simply never produced at as a professional. On top of that, White has already tied his career high in homers (14), driven in 40runs, swiped 16 bags, and improved his plate discipline dramatically.

“I’d say it’s near the same,” White said regarding his preparations for the 2026 season. “You know, I work pretty much the entire offseason on my swing, and I think the biggest thing for me was getting out of my head.”

This newfound mental clarity has allowed White to make some other important changes to his swing, including altering his setup quite a bit and freeing himself up at the plate.

“It’s more of an even, balanced stance,” White said regarding closing off his front side a little more compared to 2025. “At one point, I was open, more stacked in my back side, but this year, I decided to go with an even stance, and I’m going to stay there from here on out.”

With White now able to stride more consistently and simplify his load, he’s cleaned up his move quite a bit. He’s effectively loading into his back side with regularity, rather than beginning in that position and getting stuck there, which has been a huge development for him.

Closing off his stance and simplifying his setup weren’t the only offseason changes White made, either. He’s also freed up his hands quite a bit, bringing back some of the rhythm he once had.

“I just released all the tension. That’s all it was,” White said regarding this change. “I used to, like, preset everything, and then I just went away from that and trusted that I could be athletic and just fluently swing through the baseball.”

This type of trust in himself is exactly one of the keys that has propelled White towards success in 2026, and it’s paid off significantly. Aside from his impressive surface-level numbers, White has cut his strikeout rate to 29.1% this year between two levels, a pace that, if it holds, would be the first time he’s posted a strikeout rate under 30% since 2023.

On top of that, White is walking considerably more. As it currently stands, White has posted a walk rate of 14.6%, a metric that would also be his best mark in this category since 2023.

White is currently in the middle of a 20-game-long on-base streak, an impressive stretch that would be among the best periods of baseball White has played as a professional.

He’s finding ways to reach base when it matters most, and it has been wonderful to see his development at the plate.

Finishing 2026 Strong

Even though White has already put together a strong campaign that’s displayed growth and showcased the mental toughness he’s built this season, there’s still a long way to go. It’s still June, and with the race to the end of the season long from over, there’s still a lot to be accomplished for the 23-year-old.

“I’m just trying to keep doing what I’m doing,” White said when asked about his goals for the remainder of the season. “Just keep a good mental, positive mindset, and keep doing what I’m doing, don’t change.”

White’s production couldn’t have come at a better time, either. He’ll be Rule 5-eligible this winter, and with a strong finish, he could very easily find himself being protected by the Pirates as a result. Last season, they added six players to the 40-man roster, and their willingness to protect their prospects could extend to White at the end of the year.

On top of that, the Pirates have lacked legitimate outfield depth for quite a few seasons now, and that hasn’t changed in 2026. With White producing in Double-A, he could be in the big leagues sooner rather than later if things continue, making him one of the most important depth pieces in the organization due to his talent and proximity to Pittsburgh.

Despite all of this, White put it best. If he keeps doing what he’s done to this point, he’ll be in a great place to put a cherry on top of an already very impressive 2026 campaign.