The White Sox could lose these players in Rule 5 Draft this offseason

The Rule 5 Draft is an annual event that gives players stuck in the minors a path to the big leagues while also forcing organizations to make tough decisions about roster management. 

Players who were drafted out of high school and have spent five years in the minors, or players drafted out of college with four years of service, become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft they are not added to their team’s 40-man roster prior to the deadline

Any club can select those players in the Rule 5 Draft and add them to their roster, but a selected player must stay on the new team’s 26-man roster for the entire season, or be offered back to his original club.

That wrinkle often makes fringe prospects appealing bullpen arms or utility options, and losing the wrong one can sting.

While the Chicago White Sox have found value in Shane Smith and Mike Vasil, both Rule 5 picks last season who now look like long-term pieces of the pitching staff, it’s equally important to protect similar talent from being taken away.

This winter, the Sox will face key decisions on several pitchers who have shown flashes of big-league potential. If they don't protect them by adding them to the 40-man roster, the White Sox could lose any of these players.

Tanner McDougal

Tanner McDougal has taken a major step forward in 2025, climbing into the White Sox’s top 10 prospects after a midseason move to Double-A Birmingham.

The 22-year-old has logged a 2.74 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 108.1 innings, pairing upper-90s velocity with sharper command and a mix of power fastballs and swing-and-miss breaking pitches. 

Drafted in the 5th round in 2021 and now healthy after Tommy John surgery, McDougal's progress has shifted him from reliever risk to rotation hopeful, making protection on the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft a near certainty.

Mason Adams

Mason Adams underwent Tommy John surgery on April 2 and did not pitch during the 2025 season.

Before the injury, he had posted a 2.92 ERA across 120.1 innings in 2024 and established himself as one of the more reliable strike‑throwers in the system. 

Expected to be working his way back in spring 2026, Adams could quickly reassert himself as a rotation option and may be among the first arms considered for Chicago once healthy, making his Rule 5 protection an easy call despite the lost year.

Aldrin Batista

Acquired from the Dodgers in a 2023 trade for international bonus pool money, Aldrin Batista impressed quickly in Low‑A with a 2.66 ERA over five starts. He then broke out in 2024 by going 10‑5 with a 2.93 ERA across 110.2 innings between Kannapolis and Winston‑Salem, including a dominant 1.04 ERA after his promotion.

Batista missed most of 2025 with an elbow injury but returned in August, and his deceptive low-slot delivery combined with a strong track record make him a prime candidate to be protected as one of the organization’s top prospects.

Shane Murphy

Shane Murphy has been one of the most pleasant surprises of 2025, dominating Double-A with a 1.38 ERA over more than 120 innings and earning Southern League Pitcher of the Month honors in July.

The 24‑year‑old lefty relies on a deep arsenal, mixing in a sinker and cutter to generate weak contact and rack up innings.

Once considered a depth piece, Murphy now looks like a strong candidate to be protected on the 40‑man roster and could emerge as a useful lefty for the White Sox in 2026.

Peyton Pallette

Peyton Pallette has looked poised for an MLB call-up throughout 2025. A former second-round pick out of Arkansas, he returned from Tommy John surgery as a starter but truly found his footing once moving to the bullpen.

Pallette dominated Double-A Birmingham in relief and has continued to miss bats after a promotion to Triple-A Charlotte, striking out 43 in 36.1 innings.

With swing-and-miss stuff and late-inning potential, he’s a strong candidate to be protected as the White Sox weigh future bullpen pieces. It's a bit of a surprise he wasn't included in the team's September call-ups, but that's still a possibility before season's end.

Duncan Davitt

Acquired from Tampa Bay in the Adrian Houser trade at the 2025 deadline, Duncan Davitt has since posted a 4.64 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over 33.0 innings. 

Known for a deep six-pitch arsenal that includes a fastball touching 97, Davitt offers versatility as both a starter and a depth arm. 

Given that the White Sox just traded for him, Davitt is almost certain to be protected on the 40-man roster heading into the Rule 5 Draft.

Tyler Schweitzer

Tyler Schweitzer struggled at Triple-A Charlotte, posting a 7.92 ERA across 50 innings. Still, since being sent back to Double-A Birmingham he has been dominant, working 41.2 scoreless innings with a 0.82 WHIP. 

The left-hander has looked impressive in that stretch and may project more as a future reliever, but given his struggles at Triple-A he could still be left unprotected in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

Other Names to Watch

The White Sox face some difficult roster decisions this winter when it comes to Rule 5 protection. Not every eligible player will make the 40-man roster, but the risk of losing talent in a rebuilding cycle makes these choices all the more critical.

Beyond the bigger names, there are also under‑the‑radar arms like reliever Chase Plymell, who has put together a solid season in Triple‑A Charlotte, and Arizona Fall League participant Connor McCullough.

Eric Adler is a Double-A Birmingham reliever with intriguing stuff and another arm to monitor, though he’s unlikely to be taken. Protecting the right arms could prevent another club from finding value in Chicago’s system.