Jedixson Paez struggled to adjust to MLB, forcing the Chicago White Sox to move on from their Rule 5 gamble early in 2026.
The Chicago White Sox front office has finally made the long-overdue decision to move on from right-handed pitcher Jedixson Paez.
Paez was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the White Sox back in December, which placed him on the club’s 40-man roster with an opportunity to earn a spot on the big league team. Any Rule 5 pick must remain on the active roster for the entire season, or else be waived and offered back to their original organization.
Despite the fact that Paez had never pitched above High-A and struggled mightily in spring training, the White Sox gave him a spot on the Opening Day roster with hopes of using him as a multi-inning reliever—especially with Mike Vasil sidelined and in need of Tommy John surgery.
But it quickly became obvious to anyone watching that Paez simply wasn’t ready for the big leagues.
In three appearances out of the White Sox bullpen, he pitched three innings, allowing four hits, six runs, three walks, and two home runs. That translates to an 18.00 ERA and a 2.33 WHIP.
In my view, the White Sox ignored some clear warning signs to go for a "heat check," likely influenced by their success in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft. The organization selected right-hander Shane Smith and later acquired another Rule 5 pick, Mike Vasil, via waivers just before Opening Day. Both pitchers remained on the active roster for the entire season and developed into valuable long-term pieces.
The front office appeared to be chasing that same outcome again, and it took a bit too long to recognize that it wasn’t going to happen with Paez.
That said, Paez could still have a successful professional career ahead of him. He’s been productive at every stop throughout his minor league journey and owns a 3.22 career ERA. The White Sox were clearly bullish on his long-term outlook as a potential starting pitcher and hoped to carry him through the 2026 season to continue his development.
But that’s the inherent risk with a Rule 5 pick.
If a player isn’t ready, he isn’t ready. And in this case, Paez had become a liability for the White Sox in 2026. It’s better to move on now and cut your losses than to continue putting him in situations where he’s costing the team games.
It’s highly unlikely another MLB team will claim Paez after his recent performance, but the Boston Red Sox will almost certainly be interested in bringing him back into their system. As a result, it’s unlikely he remains in the White Sox organization.
I’m not going to fault the White Sox for taking a chance here. For a team in their current position, gambling on upside in the Rule 5 Draft is absolutely worthwhile.
However, I will criticize how the organization evaluated its own talent, and how those decisions ultimately made the roster worse.
While the White Sox used 40-man roster spots on Paez and Alexander Alberto, another Rule 5 pick who has already been returned to his original organization, they left right-handed pitcher Peyton Pallette unprotected.
Pallette was scooped up by the division rival Cleveland Guardians, made the team out of spring training, and has already turned in two strong appearances at the big league level to begin the 2026 season. He looks like a pitcher who could develop into a reliable reliever for years to come—and one the White Sox may regret letting get away.
This is the downside of mis-evaluating your own system while trying to hit on upside elsewhere.
The Jedixson Paez experiment was a clear miss. But to the White Sox’s credit, they’re recognizing it early and moving on before it continues to hurt the team.
In a corresponding move, the White Sox selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Lucas Sims, a veteran bullpen arm who impressed me in spring training and should provide more immediate and reliable value than Paez was ever likely to offer.