A year after selecting All-Star Shane Smith first overall in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, the White Sox had the second pick in this year’s draft. They decided to take a chance on two players this season.
With the second overall pick in this year’s Rule 5 Draft, the White Sox selected RHP Jedixson Paez from the Red Sox organization. In the second round, they selected RHP Alexander Alberto from the Tampa Bay Rays. It’s also worth noting that the Guardians selected RHP Peyton Pallette from the White Sox, so he will not be part of the organization in 2026.
Paez, 21, is an interesting choice for the club, given that he has not advanced past the High-A level in the minor leagues. He battled injuries last season, only throwing 19.1 innings, but posting a 2.79 ERA and 27.7 K%. He’s known for his command-first profile that features a strong changeup and slider that allows him to get outs. In 96.1 innings for the Red Sox organization in 2024, he posted a 3.17 ERA – the majority of these coming at the High-A level. He is a former international free agent signing for Boston, signing for $450,000 in 2021 out of Venezuela.
Paez only threw in the mid-80s with his fastball when he was originally signed, but has improved as he has matured and now sits in the low 90s, topping out at 94. He is undersized and delivers from a low three-quarters arm slot, leading some to believe his role will ultimately be out of the bullpen despite pitching almost exclusively as a starter so far in his minor league career. A short-inning role could lead to another velocity jump, which he could then pair with his plus secondary pitches and elite command to provide intriguing upside out of the bullpen.
Alberto, 24, is another player who looks like he will be making the jump from High-A to the major leagues with the White Sox. At 6’8, Alberto is an imposing presence on the mound who has a history of command struggles, specifically with his secondary pitches. Last season, in 48.2 relief innings, Alberto posted a 2.59 ERA, struck out 30.6% of hitters, and walked 10% of them. He has run his fastball up to 100 mph and surprisingly has been able to keep it in the zone despite command issues with the rest of his arsenal. He has shown an ability to both miss bats and keep the ball on the ground, and is a clear upside play for an organization that is willing to take a chance on players.
The former international free agent signing becomes the 37th player on the White Sox’s 40-man roster.
In the minor league phase, the White Sox made one more selection. They added RHP Jackson Kelley from the Texas Rangers system, and he will now be a member of the White Sox Triple-A affiliate Charlotte Knights. Kelly is a 25-year-old right-hander who pitched 30 innings at the Double-A level in the Rangers system. He finished the season with a 2.10 ERA, but had more underwhelming underlying metrics and faced command issues throughout the season.
The White Sox will also have to face one of their own homegrown talents throughout the 2026 season, as former 2nd round pick Peyton Pallette was selected by the Cleveland Guardians. After struggling with command and consistency issues throughout his minor league career as a starter, Pallette seemed to find a groove in the bullpenin 2024. He carried that success into the 2025 season, finishing the season with a 4.06 ERA and a 12.03 K/9 rate, pitching the majority of the season at the Triple-A level. It was seen as a bit of a surprise that the Sox did not add him to their 40-man roster, and now they will have to see him in a division rival’s uniform very soon.
As a reminder, eligibility for the Rule 5 Draft is dependent on the amount of service time a prospect has spent in the MiLB, considering their age at the time that they signed with or were drafted by an MLB club. Players 18 years old or younger are subject to the Rule 5 Draft if they are not added to the club’s 40-man roster within 5 years, and players 19 years old and older are subject to being selected if they are not added within 4 years.
When a player is selected in the Rule 5 Draft, the selecting club must pay the player’s original team $100,000 for their rights. Once selected, the drafted player is immediately assigned to the selecting team’s 26-man roster, so the team must have a spot open for their draft pick. Teams are not allowed to option Rule 5 draft picks to the minors. Instead, they must be placed on outright waivers. If they clear waivers, then the player must be offered back to their original team for $50,000 before they can be outrighted to the minors.
This is a developing story. More on this pick – as well as any players from the White Sox that are selected by other teams in the Rule 5 Draft – will be added as the draft continues!
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