Following the White Sox hiring of Josh Barfield as the team's new assistant general manager, Chris Getz and the organization made two ensuing hires.
The White Sox hired Brian Bannister to become their Director of Pitching, according to NBC Sports Chicago's Chuck Garfien.
They also hired Gene Watson, the Vice President of Major League Scouting for the Kansas City Royals, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
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Bannister, 42, not to be confused as a replacement for Ethan Katz --- the pitching coach ---, will serve in a similar role with the White Sox as the Director of Pitching.
The venerable MLB coach has served as the director of the San Francisco Giants' pitching staff since 2019. Before then, he spent four seasons with the Boston Red Sox, wearing a litany of hats. He was a scout, the Director of Pitching Analysis and Development, the Assistant Pitching Coach and the Vice President of Pitching Development.
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Watson has "more than 25 years of experience covering Major League Spring Training, minor league scouting, and has scouted the Dominican, Venezuelan and Mexican winter leagues," according to the Royals' staff directory. He's served with the Royals on two different stints from 2006-20 and 2021-23.
His most recent position was the Vice President of Major League Scouting/Assistant GM. In 2021, with the Los Angeles Angels, Watson was the Senior Advisor to the GM/Major League Operations.