After landing All-Star Shane Smith and standout reliever Mike Vasil in last year’s Rule 5 draft, the White Sox front office went for a bit of a heat check. Chicago nabbed Red Sox starter Jedixson Paez with the second overall pick in Rule 5 this year, and made the rare decision to pick a second time, also bringing in reliever Alexander Alberto from the Tampa Bay Rays. With limited roster spots entering the season, it felt unlikely that both pitchers would crack the Opening Day roster, and a poor spring from Alberto made the decision quite simple. But even Paez, who made the team, didn’t last long, and his debut outing with the Red Sox made the White Sox decision to move on feel even better.
Paez, 22, had never pitched above High-A when the White Sox added him to their roster. A starter throughout his minor league career, Paez made just seven outings in an injury-riddled 2025, but the White Sox felt strongly enough about his pinpoint command to bring him in. He didn’t have a great spring, but the White Sox had to keep him on the MLB roster to keep him in the organization according to the Rule 5 process, so he joined the team in Milwaukee. In three appearances, Paez allowed six earned runs in three innings, and was quickly designated for assignment by the White Sox. After going unclaimed on waivers, he was sent back to Boston and assigned to Double-A Portland.
Jedixson Paez's second big league stint went just as poorly as his first
Paez posted a 4.41 ERA in 49 innings before a promotion to Triple-A, and he only made three starts with Worcester before getting the call to the big leagues. Paez started Tuesday night’s game against Seattle, and surrendered eight runs and two homers in just 3.2 innings before immediately being optioned back to Triple-A. As he did with the White Sox at the beginning of the season, Paez looked completely uncompetitive against big league hitters. With a fastball that doesn’t overpower anyone, location is key, and he simply hasn’t located well enough to fool hitters at the highest level.
RAAAAANDY! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/IMsdsoNZ2J
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 1, 2026
After one outing with Boston, the White Sox’ quick trigger on Paez looks completely justified, and their decision to pick him in the first place looks suspect. The White Sox may not have gone into the season with expectations of competing for the division title, so they likely felt they could afford a heat check in an area they’ve had recent success. I’d be willing to bet they’d make a different decision if they could have a do-over, however.
As the career of Jedixson Paez continues to get off to a tough start, the White Sox can take credit for knowing quickly when to pull the plug on the experiment, and they’ve hopefully learned their lesson and won’t make the same mistake again next year.
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