The Rule 5 draft is one of the more underrated parts of each MLB offseason. All 30 teams are given the opportunity to take unprotected players from other organizations and give them a shot at the big league level. Finding top level talent is rare, but not impossible, as White Sox fans know very well after the 2025 Rule 5 draft landed the team All-Star Shane Smith. To prepare for the draft, each team must add Rule 5 eligible players to their 40-man roster to protect them, or risk them being selected by another team. The White Sox have a handful of players in that category at the end of this season; some worth protecting, and some not so much.
Protect: IF William Bergolla Jr.
Infielder William Bergolla Jr., who the White Sox acquired in the 2024 deal that sent lefty Tanner Banks to the Phillies, had his season cut short by a freak injury this season. Had the injury not happened, there’s a decent chance Bergolla would’ve made his big league debut already. The 21-year-old opened eyes with an impressive spring training and was off to a .444/.524/.566 start in 11 games with Triple-A Charlotte before the injury. Known for his elite bat-to-ball skills, excellent speed, and strong defense, Bergolla isn’t likely to be an impact hitter at the big league level, but he could be the ideal utility infielder. With experience in Triple-A and skills likely to translate to any level, Bergolla has a strong chance to be taken if the White Sox choose not to protect him from Rule 5. I think adding him to the 40-man should be a no-brainer.
White Sox No. 11 prospect William Bergolla Jr. goes oppo to drive in ✌️!
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) March 22, 2026
📺Stream Spring Breakout: https://t.co/hC19NxF57n pic.twitter.com/aPEyj6fpST
Don’t Protect: IF Jeral Perez
Another acquisition of the 2024 trade deadline, infielder Jeral Perez came to the White Sox from the Dodgers in the same deal that brought them Miguel Vargas. Perez began the 2025 season in High-A as a 20-year-old and posted promising results, with a .763 OPS and 22 home runs over the full season. He received a promotion to Double-A for 2026 at age 21 and his strong numbers came to a screeching halt. Perez hit just .180 with a .563 ERA in 60 games with Birmingham before being demoted back to High-A. His numbers have gone back up since the demotion, but Perez has yet to prove he can handle higher level pitching. He’s only 21, so there’s still time for him to figure it out, but in order for a team to draft him in Rule 5, they need to feel confident he can remain on their roster all season. I don’t think anyone would be willing to take that chance yet, so the White Sox should be fine to leave him unprotected.
Don’t Protect: IF Ryan Burrowes
Ryan Burrowes has been in the White Sox organization since signing with them as a 17-year-old in 2022. A native of Panama, Burrowes has worked his way through the White Sox system slowly and was posting the best season of his career offensively before slowing down after a promotion to Double-A. Burrowes has been known as more of a glove-first infielder since turning pro, and he’s already set his career high in home runs this season with 11. Much like Perez, I don’t believe Burrowes has posted strong enough offensive numbers at the upper levels of the minors to intrigue teams enough to take him. At 22 years old, he needs to start showing some offensive promise to cement himself as a part of the team’s future.
Don’t Protect: LHP Shane Murphy
Shane Murphy had a remarkable 2025 season, and I was stunned when the White Sox chose not to protect him ahead of the Rule 5 draft last year. The lefty posted a sparkling 1.66 ERA across 135 minor league innings, seemingly outperforming his stuff quality. The White Sox didn’t protect Murphy for last year’s Rule 5 draft and he went unselected. After an invite to big league spring training, Murphy has taken a significant step back this season, posting a 4.64 ERA in 129 innings. It’s made the team’s decision to leave him unprotected look smarter. He’ll be eligible again this offseason assuming he’s not added to the roster before the season ends. I don’t expect anything to change in his situation, so I anticipate the White Sox will once again leave him available for Rule 5.
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