With the Rule 5 draft just around the corner, the White Sox will have another opportunity to add another young player to their roster. Last year, the team selected Shane Smith with the first overall pick in Rule 5, and Smith went on to make the all-star game in his rookie season. RHP Mike Vasil, who was highly productive in a swingman role for the 2025 White Sox, was also a Rule 5 pick that the White Sox claimed on waivers before Opening Day. While other White Sox rule 5 picks in recent years haven’t panned out, 2025 can serve as proof that impact talent can be found. The White Sox have the second overall pick this year and haven’t taken a position player in Rule 5 since 2017, so they’ll likely select another pitcher this week. Whichever player they select will need to remain on the major league roster for the entire season or be offered back to his former team, so this will be something to consider in their strategy.. Here are a few strong options.
RHP RJ Petit, Detroit Tigers
The most eye-popping thing about Tigers righty RJ Petit is the 6’8 300 pound frame on his profile. Originally drafted by Detroit in the 14th round, the 26 year-old has been a consistent producer from the bullpen in the minor leagues. 2025 was his best season yet, and he posted a 2.44 ERA in 66.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Petit features a fastball that sits around 95, as well as a sinker, slider, and much-improved changeup. Pitching Director Brian Bannister has prioritized the changeup throughout his tenure with the White Sox and Petit’s is arguably his best pitch. The White Sox may take a shot at landing another Shane Smith and finding a starter, but should they go the reliever route, Petit is a major-league ready option with stuff that could excel in the middle of a bullpen.
RHP Griff McGary, Philadelphia Phillies
Perhaps the highest upside available in Rule 5 also comes with significant risk. Griff McGary was drafted in the 5th round by the Phillies back in 2021 and has produced impressive strikeout numbers to go along with concerning walk numbers. McGary posted an ERA of 6.00 in 2023 thanks to 50 walks in 60 innings, and moved to the bullpen in 2024. The Phillies gave him another shot as a starter in 2025 and he improved, producing a 3.44 ERA in 83.2 innings between three levels. His 49 walks over this span were still too many, but it’s a step in the right direction. McGary may be better served in a bullpen role moving forward, but he has the stuff to be a good big league starter if he can harness it. If the White Sox are looking for upside, they might not find anyone with more than McGary, but his control issues are very real and they may decide he’s not worth the risk.
Few pitchers in the minors have stuff on the level of Griff McGarry.
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) December 2, 2025
The Phillies righthander blows up our Stuff+ models with a 121 overall score.
And he's available in the Rule 5 draft 👀 pic.twitter.com/K3xSsNXRAm
RHP Logan Workman, Tampa Bay Rays
If the White Sox are looking for a safer starting pitcher option, RHP Logan Workman from the Rays could be in consideration. Workman, a seventh-round pick by the Rays in 2021, has posted three minor league seasons with over 100 innings pitched. He has a minor league ERA of 3.35, so the results have been there at every level. Workman produces solid strikeout numbers despite not having overwhelming stuff thanks to his ability to locate his three solid pitches. Workman spent the entire 2025 season with Triple-A Durham and struck out 152 hitters in 152.1 innings. He’ll be 27 years-old for the 2026 season, so the time is now for Workman to get a shot at the big leagues. The White Sox could use some extra rotation depth, and could elect to give a shot to Workman, who has the ability to be a back-of-the-rotation starter in the major leagues for a long time.