In a normal offseason, all 30 MLB teams would have to decide whether or not to protect players who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft, which occurs every year during the Winter Meetings in December. But 2026-2027 will not be a normal offseason. A lockout is widely expected to begin on December 1, when the current collective bargaining agreement expires, shutting down all team activity for an indefinite period of time. Among the many offseason milestones the lockout will impact is the Rule 5 draft, and it’s something for the White Sox to consider when deciding who to protect.
It’s a bit of a tricky spot for teams to be in. As of right now, the Rule 5 draft is scheduled for Wednesday, December 9th in San Diego, the final day of the Winter Meetings. This is very unlikely to happen, at least on time. But the deadline to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from Rule 5 is on November 17th, before the lockout begins. Last time there was a lockout, before the 2022 season, the Rule 5 draft was cancelled and not rescheduled. That seems like a strong possibility now with the lockout expected to be extended, but it’s not a guarantee.
On one hand, if the White Sox choose to protect some players and there’s no Rule 5 draft, they’ve now been added to the 40-man roster for no reason. If the lockout were to extend into the regular season, the minor league seasons would proceed as scheduled, but players on the 40-man roster would not be allowed to participate. This could cost a White Sox prospect part or all of their season if a significant number of games are cancelled. On the other hand, if the White Sox choose not to protect someone and the lockout doesn’t last as long as expected, they could lose the player if the Rule 5 draft is rescheduled. It’s a difficult position to be in with several factors to consider.
William Bergolla Jr could debut in 2027, is protecting him worth the risk?
In terms of the players the White Sox will need to decide on, perhaps the biggest name is infielder William Bergolla Jr. The White Sox first acquired Bergolla in a 2024 trade that sent lefty Tanner Banks to the Phillies at the trade deadline. In his first two years in the White Sox organization, Bergolla has demonstrated elite bat-to-ball skills, game-changing speed, and excellent defensive versatility. On the flip side, he’s hit just one home run in the minor leagues since 2022 and very rarely impacts the ball significantly. Bergolla was assigned to Charlotte in 2026 but played just 11 games after a freak injury on an outfield collision led to his absence. He’s likely to begin the season at Triple-A again, but could be an option for a team looking for speed and defense on their bench in the Rule 5 draft.
William Bergolla, with the RBI triple, ties the game and Wilfred Veras with the walk-off single as the Barons win 4-3 in 10 innings over the Lookouts last night. pic.twitter.com/rtLITLZH50
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) May 16, 2025
Under normal circumstances, the White Sox would be highly likely to protect Bergolla, but the lockout potentially cancelling the Rule 5 draft could be a factor. Do the White Sox leave him unprotected to guarantee he can play if there’s a 2027 season? Or do they protect him and guarantee another team doesn’t take him, but also risk his 2027 season if there’s an extended lockout? It’ll be interesting to see.
Other candidates for protection include IF Jeral Perez, IF Ryan Burrowes, OF Samuel Zavala, and RHPs Seth Keener, Garrett Wright, and Nick Altermatt. The latter two have gotten some time in the Arizona Fall League as the White Sox look to see if either are worth protecting. Regardless of what they decide, the impending lockout is going to throw an interesting wrinkle into every offseason decision the White Sox have to make. Unfortunately, that’s just how it’s going to be this year.
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