CHICAGO -- Josh Barfield encountered an odd scenario over the past two days at Guaranteed Rate Field.

On one side was the White Sox, the team at the tail end of a disappointing 60-98 campaign, which included the 3-0 loss Wednesday. But also the place where the 40-year-old was recently hired as an assistant general manager to work with general manager Chris Getz. On the other side of the field was the D-backs, an organization for which Barfield worked for nine years and the last four as the director of player development, and an organization in line for a National League Wild Card spot.

Barfield watched over the development of these top young Arizona talents, including outfielder Corbin Carroll, the NL Rookie of the Year favorite. It was a tough decision to leave the D-backs, but the White Sox offer was one he couldn't turn down.

“It was really hard, right? It was really the only organization I’d known post playing career,” said Barfield, prior to Wednesday’s game. “It was a family atmosphere, much like it is over here. It was hard to leave, to leave some of these guys I’m so invested in, not only professionally but personally getting to know their families and kids. That part is hard.

“Anytime in life when you want to do something great you have to take a step out of your comfort zone. Everything lined up with this. Yeah, the D-backs fought to keep me, but as I went back and forth, talking to my wife, everything made sense here.”

Brian Bannister, who comes in as senior advisor to pitching, and Gene Watson, the new director of player personnel, complete the trio of front office additions made by Getz. Bannister and Watson are expected to meet with the media before the ‘23 season concludes. 

The White Sox plan to hire a farm director. But at least for the early going, Barfield will be focused on his area of familiarity and expertise in player development. He also will be involved with player acquisition and roster construction as the offseason progresses.

“Part of [Getz’s] vision was bringing in the people from other places where things have gone pretty well,” Barfield said. “Between me and Gene Watson and Bannister, a lot of this first week has been kind of downloading ideas and things we have seen, things that have worked, things that maybe haven’t worked and also getting to know how things are done here. I like the collection of ideas we have so far.”

“Watching these guys play [for Arizona], from our dugout over there, those guys were developed right. I’m glad he’s on our side,” said White Sox manager Pedro Grifol of Barfield. “Smart, articulate, well spoken, you can go on and on and on. I’m happy he’s on our team. I think Chris has done a really good job assembling a nice group around him that’s going to bring some different ideas.”

The Barfield name should be familiar to Chicago fans, with Jesse, his father, showing his skills 42 miles from then-Comiskey Park while playing for Joliet Central High School. Barfield was selected by the Blue Jays in the ninth round of the 1977 Draft and made his Major League debut in Chicago against the White Sox on Sept. 3, 1981.

His father still serves as a daily sounding board for Josh. Any ideas have the potential to be helpful for a White Sox team with a great deal of work ahead, hoping to build to the level where Barfield’s previous team resides.

“I’m on this side and obviously really excited about what we are doing here,” Barfield said. “But to see finished products on the field from guys I had when they were 15, 16, 17 years old and seeing where they were then to where they are now and where the organization kind of was a few years ago to where they are now, it’s exciting and gives a lot of hope and optimism here. Again, there’s some really talented [White Sox] players not only in the big leagues but in the Minor Leagues right now.”

“He’s a connector of people,” Getz said of Barfield. “He’s going to energize our group, he already has. And once again, I feel fortunate for him to come aboard.”