It didn\u2019t take long for the White Sox to pull the plug on their most recent Rule 5 draft pick. Prior to yesterday\u2019s series finale against the Marlins, the team designated right-handed pitcher Jedixson P\u00e1ez for assignment, selecting the contract of right-handed pitcher Lucas Sims from Triple-A to replace him.<\/p>\n
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Given the success the team had with Shane Smith last season, it made sense to use the Rule 5 draft again as a way to find another hidden gem. They ultimately selected P\u00e1ez second overall from the Red Sox, giving him a chance to follow in Smith\u2019s footsteps. He made the team despite allowing eight runs in just 11.1 spring innings, as Mike Vasil\u2019s injury opened up a spot in the bullpen. P\u00e1ez\u2019s time on the South Side proved to be short-lived, however. He pitched in just three games, giving up six runs in three innings. He also walked three and didn\u2019t record a strikeout.<\/p>\n
P\u00e1ez quickly showed wasn\u2019t ready for the big leagues. Considering he\u2019s just 22 years old and had never pitched above High-A before this season, it\u2019s not all that surprising. Unlike Smith, who had pitched at the Triple-A level before entering the White Sox organization, P\u00e1ez was always going to be more of a developmental project. He looked overmatched against MLB hitters in a small sample. Even though it was just a couple innings, the team had seen enough.<\/p>\n
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With the pitching staff in shambles and new faces needed, the White Sox ended the experiment a lot sooner than they were hoping for. If P\u00e1ez goes unclaimed, Chicago will have to offer him back to the Red Sox for $50,000. His fate will likely resemble that of Alexander Alberto, a fellow Rule 5 pick who didn\u2019t even make the White Sox Opening Day roster and was later returned to the Rays.<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udd25 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel<\/b> to hear Chicago legends tell stories you\u2019ve never seen in headlines \u2014 real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.<\/p>\nMissed Opportunity<\/h2>\n
What makes the situation more frustrating is who the White Sox lost in Rule 5 Draft. They didn\u2019t protect right-handed pitcher Peyton Pallette, who was ultimately selected by the Guardians. He made Cleveland\u2019s Opening Day roster and has made a pair of impressive performances out of their bullpen. It\u2019s a tough look considering Pallette would have been one of the better relievers on the White Sox to this point had they kept him.<\/p>\n
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The White Sox were looking to capture lightning in a bottle in the Rule 5 Draft in back-to-back seasons. Instead, it\u2019s been the worst-case scenario so far. Both pitchers they selected are gone less than a week into the season, while the pitcher they failed to protect looks to have a bright future with a division rival. This sequence of events underscores the work the organization must do to improve their scouting and talent evaluation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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