Newly acquired pitchers Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto crack the organization's Top 30 prospects after being selected by the White Sox in the Rule 5 Draft.
The Chicago White Sox made two selections in Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft, hoping to strike gold for the second straight year.
Jedixson Paez, a right-handed pitcher from the Boston Red Sox system, went second overall. He was previously ranked the No. 19 prospect in Boston’s organization.
Alexander Alberto, a 6-foot-8 right-hander with explosive late-inning stuff, came from Tampa Bay and was selected in the second round of the Major League phase.
The White Sox were the only team to make two picks in the MLB phase this year—and apparently, there was good reason for that.
Updated prospect rankings from MLB Pipeline now include both Paez and Alberto inside the White Sox Top 30. That’s considerably more than can be said for most Rule 5 selections around the league.
Accounting for the loss of Peyton Pallette—previously the No. 14 prospect in the White Sox system and now No. 19 with Cleveland—Paez debuts at No. 15 in Chicago’s rankings, while Alberto enters at No. 21.
Jedixson Paez
The White Sox view Jedixson Paez as a future starting pitcher. His calling card is elite control—he owns a 209-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio since the start of 2023.
“Multiple weapons, a lot of different pitches. Obviously hasn’t pitched at the upper levels. In terms of command of his arsenal, our group was really excited. Long-term, we view him as a real starter for us,” GM Chris Getz said. (via Elijah Evans)
If Paez is going to stick in the big leagues in 2026, the White Sox will need to bring him along slowly—likely in a long-relief role. Getz even referenced Mike Vasil as a potential blueprint for how Paez could contribute early.
That may be optimistic, but that’s the vision.
Paez works from a low three-quarters arm slot with an offspeed-heavy mix. There are enough tools here for Brian Bannister and new pitching coach Zach Bove to mold.
Boston hated losing him, and for good reason. Paez has succeeded everywhere he’s pitched, running a 3.22 ERA across his minor league career. But can he hold his own against big-league hitters shortly after his 22nd birthday? That’s the question the Sox are betting on.
Alexander Alberto
I have more confidence in Alexander Alberto sticking on the MLB roster in 2026—though his floor might be lower than Paez’s. There’s no question he’s a pure reliever.
At 6-foot-8, Alberto fires a fastball that touches 101 mph with cutting action. It’s a legitimate 70-grade pitch—“plus-plus,” in scouting terms.
His slider sits in the mid-80s with sweeping break and profiles as a strong secondary offering. That two-pitch mix alone is enough to retire big-league hitters if he can locate them.
“The guy has big time stuff. It’s a unique pitch with his cutter… that’s a guy that we feel like can be a big arm in the back of the bullpen. He’s got stuff that stacks pretty well against any hitter,” Getz said. (via Elijah Evans)
Chicago clearly sees closer upside. And given how volatile relievers are, it’s a worthwhile gamble.
Since his promotion to Low-A in 2024, Alberto owns a 2.27 ERA with 10.8 K/9 across 71.1 innings. Landing at No. 21 in the new Top 30 is more than I expected for someone unranked in Tampa Bay’s system. For context, he now ranks ahead of lefty Ky Bush—who reached the majors in 2024—and Blake Larson, the 68th overall pick in 2024.
The Sox could ease him in as the “last man out of the bullpen” simply to keep him on the active roster while they develop him for a bigger role. He turns 24 this season.