MSL to MLB: White Sox' Shakeup Brings Fremd's Gellinger Back to Big Leagues

Respected Two-Time All-Area Pick Has Filled Numerous Roles Since Joining Organization in 1987

The wreck of the 2024 White Sox finally saw manager Pedro Grifol and three of his coaches tossed overboard Thursday morning. As a result, 1982 Fremd High School graduate Mike Gellinger is one of the three new coaches for interim manager Grady Sizemore trying to bring some respectability to the final 45 games of the season.

Gellinger replaces Mike Tosar as the assistant hitting coach. Gellinger has been part of the Arizona Complex League Sox, the equivalent of Rookie League ball, since 2021 as a manager and a coach. He also comes from a baseball family as his dad Terry was a successful high school coach at Fremd and Palatine and was a standout pitcher at the University of Illinois.

Mike Gellinger (Photo credit whitesox.com)

Mike Gellinger has been part of the White Sox organization since 1987 when he hit .283 with 2 homers and 22 RBI in 86 games at Class A Peninsula in the Carolina League and Daytona Beach in the Florida State League. The next year started a career in a variety of roles that included the major league computer scouting analyst during the 2005 World Series championship season.

And it was evident that having Gellinger come up from the minors, along with Justin Jirschele and Doug Sisson, is part of the plan by Sox senior vice president and general manager Chris Getz to help younger players like Brooks Baldwin and Jonathan Cannon stay on the right track and get Luis Robert Jr., untracked from his deep funk.

“These are individuals that represent what the White Sox are all about,” Getz said at his news conference announcing Grifol’s dismissal. “They care for the game. They’re deeply respected by the players and they’re about the right things on the field. They know what right looks like.

“We are very confident the environment will be advantageous for our players to show up every day and finish as strong as they can.”

Gellinger was a three-year starter and a shortstop on the 1981 and 1982 Daily Herald All-Area teams that included future big-league pitcher Dave Otto of Elk Grove. Gellinger was in-between the Class AA Elite Eight state appearances with his dad as head coach in 1979 and 1984 but the 1981 team won 23 games and Mid-Suburban North and regional titles before losing in the sectional championship game, which was the last step before the state tournament in those days.

Gellinger played at Southern Illinois for the legendary Richard “Itchy” Jones and for 35 games at Class A in the Tigers’ system in 1986 before he was released and joined the White Sox. He has been highly regarded during his many roles in the organization and the Daily Herald’s long-time Sox beat writer Scot Gregor wrote that Paul Konerko regarded Gellinger and Greg Walker as his most influential hitting coaches.

Then-manager Ozzie Guillen gushed about Gellinger to Gregor for a front-page Herald story before the Sox’ 2011 home opener. 

“I love him,” Guillen told Gregor. “I love him so much that if Joey (Cora) got the managing job (with Milwaukee last winter), ‘Gelly” was going to be my new bench coach. That’s how good he is, that’s how much I trust him. He’s done a lot of great stuff for the White Sox.”

Here’s a look back at what Gellinger was doing in much better times to help the White Sox to one of their greatest seasons in 2005. Gellinger was one of three people with the Sox with MSL ties - former Forest View star pitcher and front-office exec Larry Monroe and legendary Rolling Meadows head coach and scout Al Otto - who I featured for the Herald ahead of the organization ending an 88-year title drought.

Behind The Scenes: Mike Gellinger 

Book reports have helped make this a storybook season for the White Sox.

Mike Gellinger is in his 19th year with the White Sox and ninth as its major-league computer scouting analyst. The 1982 Fremd High School graduate compiles information about the other team, its tendencies and potential matchups and puts it together in books used primarily by pitching coach Don Cooper and hitting coach Greg Walker.

Gellinger, who also travels with the team and throws batting practice every day, said his relationship with Cooper and Walker helps make the information a potentially powerful tool.

“I never try to make it seem this is the answer to everything,” said Gellinger, whose dad Terry was a varsity head baseball coach at Fremd and Palatine. “If it happens 80 percent of the time, 20 percent could go the other way.

“It’s like being a caddie is the way I look at it. You have to execute it or believe in it. If you trust the information you have a chance of executing, because you believe in it.”

Gellinger said he gives A.J. Pierzynski a lot of credit for sticking with the plan and the pitchers for delivering.

“There’s no doubt there’s a lot of gratification when things do work out,” Gellinger said. “All everybody is trying to do is guid somebody in the right direction.”

After graduating from Southern Illinois in 1986, Gellinger played a half-season in the Tigers’ organization and was released.

The following winter, he was working out in Florida with the son of Doug Rader, who was a White Sox coach at the time. Rader, who had an 11-year big-league playing career, said he would see what he could do for Gellinger. He was invited to spring training in 1987 and spent one season as a player in the White Sox farm system.

From there he went on to coach and manager in the minor leagues and has been a roving infield instructor. Now he hopes to help the organization take part in the ultimate baseball achievement. 

“For it to finally happen is unbelievable,” Gellinger said. “Those celebrations are what it’s all about.”