Major League Baseball’s winter meetings occur annually and the White Sox will be in attendance as always. The meetings always conclude with the Rule Five Draft and this year’s event will take place on Wednesday December 10th at the JW Marriott Bonnett Creek Resort and Spa in Orlando, Florida. The event will be streamed live on MLB.com. It’s not as important as the draft lottery the day before but the Rule 5 Draft remains a significant event for the White Sox.
Free agent activity has already started. Four players have accepted qualifying offers but there’s a host of free agents looking to sign contracts. Former White Sox’s starter Dylan Cease inked with the Toronto Blue Jays for seven years and $210 million as the first major free agent signing of the winter. The Padres will receive a compensation pick after the 4th round while the Jays will forfeit their 2nd rounder.
The St. Louis Cardinals have begun their fire sale after shipping right-handed starter Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox. The Cardinals are expected to be active sellers. The meetings are expected to be fruitful and the White Sox should be mentioned in trade talks throughout the winter.
The fourth annual MLB Draft Lottery will take place on Tuesday December 9th. The 18 clubs who didn’t make the postseason all have a shot at the #1 overall pick with the exception of the Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels who will choose 10th, 11th and 12th respectively due to CBA rules. The White Sox were affected by this quirk in 2025.
The Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins and Pittsburgh Pirates have the best odds to secure the #1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. I wrote about the draft lottery in MLB Draft Notebook 1.0. The Sox also have the #2 overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft. It will be difficult to replicate last year’s success in the Rule 5 Draft however.
Shane Smith threw 146.1 innings and posted a 3.81 ERA while accumulating 2.2 fWAR. The 6-3, 240 pound righty made 29 starts and represented the White Sox in the All Star Game. The 25-year-old struck out 145 hitters while walking 58 on the season.
As I’ve written about previously, any players currently under contract with a club who were initially signed before the end of the 2021 MiLB season and were 18 and under at the time of signing are eligible for the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft if they are not currently on a 40-man roster. Any players who were 19 or older who signed initially before the end of the 2022 MiLB season are eligible if they are not currently on a 40-man roster. College players drafted in 2022 are eligible while prep players and international signings from 2021 will be as well.
A team must have an open 40-man roster spot to select a player in the major league phase of the Rule Five Draft. The selecting team pays $100,000 to take a player. That player cannot be optioned to the minors during the entirety of the 2024 season and the player must spend at least 90 days on the active big league roster (days on the injured or suspended list do not count toward the 90-day limit). The White Sox current 40-man roster is at 34 players.
Who Could The White Sox Lose?
The White Sox protected righties Tanner McDougal and Duncan Davitt and added both pitchers to the 40-man roster in advance of the deadline. Both players should make their debuts in Chicago this year. McDougal was an expected addition but Davitt was a bit of a surprise. The franchise also made some interesting omissions and the players who ultimately weren’t protected could be a story in itself.
Tyler Schweitzer – Credit: Dan Victor/FutureSox
Five pitchers currently listed on the organization’s top 30 list at MLB Pipeline were left unprotected prior to the roster deadline. Peyton Pallette is a relief only prospect at this juncture but the former second rounder throws a high 90’s fastball with a 3,000 RPM curveball in his four pitch mix. The 24-year-old righty posted a 3.57 FIP in Triple-A with 86 strikeouts in 64.1 innings last year. He could get selected in the Rule 5 Draft but other franchises have similar relief arms in their systems already.
Shane Murphy is a 24-year-old southpaw who posted a 1.38 ERA in Double-A last year who projects as a back end left-handed starter. The 6-5 210 pounder really knows how to pitch but his fastball generally only touches the low 90’s. Tyler Schweitzer is a 25-year-old lefty who struggled in a starting role in Triple-A last year. The former fifth rounder posted a 1.27 ERA in a bulk relief role as he finished his season with the Birmingham Barons in Double-A.
Mason Adams would’ve likely made some starts in the big leagues last year but he underwent Tommy John surgery during spring training. The 25-year-old isn’t expected back until closer to mid-season 2026 and the White Sox chose not to protect him. The righty posted a 2.92 ERA in 2024 and threw 120 innings. If a club uses a Rule 5 pick on the former 13th rounder, they’ll need to use the injured list and likely keep Adams protected into 2027.
Aldrin Batista is still one of the higher upside pitching prospects in the system but he only threw 14 innings last year after dealing with a fractured elbow. He made it back to pitch at the end of the season, however. The now 22-year-old should reach Double-A for the first time. He’s a good athlete with good stuff and a deceptive delivery. It might still be a reach for another club to draft him and carry him in the majors all season though.
Who Could The White Sox Add?
Shane Smith and Mike Vasil are locks for the White Sox’s pitching staff in Chicago for 2026. The front office nailed their selection in last year’s Rule Five Draft. Can they do it again? They’ll certainly try to replicate the success when they make the second overall pick but it won’t be an easy endeavor.
At this point, it would be a major surprise if the club selected a position player high in the Rule 5 Draft. The selection will almost assuredly be used on a pitcher. They’ve leaned on the experience of their staff in recent years after targeting pitchers from the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers in recent years.
New pitching coach Zach Bove will undoubtedly have some say in the choice but pitching decisions run through senior advisor Brian Bannister in regards to the White Sox. It’ll be interesting to see the traits that are ultimately prioritized. They’ve targeted pronators and supinators during acquisition periods recently and extension is always a notable buzzword. There are some starting and relief options available. Here are some of those options.
Will Bednar, RHP, San Francisco Giants
Thomas Nestico recently highlighted Will Bednar as an interesting potential Rule 5 target with some supported data to back up the assertion. The 6-2, 230 pound righty was selected in the first round of the 2021 draft out of Mississippi State. Brian Bannister was a notable presence in the Giants’ front office at the time. The 25-year-old moved to relief and posted a 3.03 FIP in Double-A. While Bednar struck out 84 hitters in 52.1 innings, he also walked 39 and has displayed dismaying walk totals overall. The high 90’s fastball is a dominating pitch that registered a 40.3% Whiff rate but the command has really held him back overall.
Blake Burkhalter, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Burkhalter was drafted in the third round of the 2022 draft out of Auburn as a college reliever and he proceeded to miss the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The 6-0, 204 pound righty moved to a starting role in 2024. It didn’t go well and he returned to a relief role in the Atlanta system. The 25-year-old sports a high-effort delivery with a mid-90’s fastball that touches 98 mph. Burkhalter has always needed to add a more efficient breaking ball to his arsenal but he did add a kick changeup his past year. The righty made more starts in 2025 while posting a 3.32 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 103 innings.
Harrison Cohen, RHP, New York Yankees
The Yankees signed Cohen as an undrafted free agent out of George Washington in 2022. He was a member of the famous Cotuit Cape League team in 2022 as well and multiple players from that squad are in the big leagues currently. The 6-0, 211 pound righty posted a 1.76 ERA in the high minors last year with 59 strikeouts in 51 innings. The 26-year-old displays a deceptive delivery with a low release height while also showing a high leg kick and short action. Cohen’s fastball sits in the low 90’s with 18 inches of IVB with a changeup and breaking ball as well. Command issues have plagued him.
Zach McCambley, RHP, Miami Marlins
McCambley is one of the best relievers available in the Rule 5 Draft. The 6-2, 225 pound righty posted a 2.90 ERA with a 2.60 FIP in 62 innings pitched in the high minors in 2025. The 26-year-old was originally selected in the third round of the 2020 draft out of Coastal Carolina. McCambley has pumped his fastball up to 97 mph and he throws lots of strikes with a plus cutter as well. He registered 83 strikeouts and 22 walks on the year with a nearly 40% Whiff rate.
Yordanny Monegro, RHP, Boston Red Sox
Monegro is an interesting case but he’s likely to be selected by someone. The 23-year-old right hander underwent Tommy John surgery in late August and he will miss the 2026 season. The 6-4, 180 pounder posted a 2.67 ERA with a 2.34 FIP and a 57% ground ball rate for Double-A Portland last season. Monegro made 8 starts and struck out 49 with 18 walks while showing swing and miss stuff and command. He throws a four seamier in the 93-96 mph range with a plus slider as well. He needs more life on the fastball and he’s currently ranked as the #27 prospect in the Boston system. A team would need to place Monegro on the season ending injured list in spring training and Rule 5 qualifications would transfer into 2027.
RJ Petit, RHP, Detroit Tigers
Petit was originally selected in the 14th round of the 2021 draft out of Charleston Southern by the Detroit Tigers. The 6-8, 300 pounder posted 79 strikeouts with 22 walks in 66.1 innings last year. The 26-year-old righty posted a 2.44 ERA with a 2.94 FIP while throwing tons of strikes and registering a 30% Whiff rate. The fastball gets up to 95 mph with a tight, two plane slider and a changeup rounding out the arsenal. The White Sox like funky profiles and they’ve cornered the market on giant pitchers as well.
Alex Pham, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
Pham is Rule 5 eligible for the second consecutive year and the 26-year-old could actually get popped this time around. The 5-11, 165 pound righty posted a 4.04 ERA with a 3.30 FIP across 49 innings at AA and AAA this past year. The Orioles originally selected Pham with a 5th round pick in 2021 out of the University of San Francisco. There is lots of IVB on the fastball coming out of a high arm slot with a Whiff rate of 31.2%. He also throws multiple breaking pitches and averaged 11 K/9 with 3 BB/9 overall. He fits in a potential long-relief role.
Matt Pushard, RHP, Miami Marlins
Matt Pushard pitched at the University of Maine and the 28-year-old finally had a bit of a break out in the Marlins system. The 6-4, 250 pounder is the type of pitcher with recent high minors success that typically gets selected in the Rule 5 Draft. The righty posted a 3.61 ERA in 62.1 innings last year with 73 strikeouts and 23 walks. Pushard throws a mid 90’s fastball with a 34% miss rate. He also throws a sweepy slider and a changeup and he gets hitters to chase often.
If you want the highest ceiling, José Rodríguez is your pick, but if you need production now, Matt Pushard is the most MLB-ready RP in the Rule 5 Draft.
He’s older than other options, but Pushard’s versatile arsenal is built to get outs in a big league bullpen.
A thread 🧵 pic.twitter.com/kcNvPEpdCf
— Matthew Knauer (@matthewk36711) December 1, 2025
Josè Rodriguez, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Rodriguez might be the most interesting pitcher available and the White Sox should be quite familiar with the righty as the Dodgers share a spring training facility at Camelback Ranch with the Pale Hose. The 6-6, 200 pounder is a physical righty with a deceptive delivery who throws his fastball in the upper 90’s regularly. The 24-year-old also throws a slider and a changeup with a 65% miss rate. He gets lots of chase on the sharp slider as well. Rodriguez has long limbs and an unorthodox delivery with premium extension that reaches 6.8-7.1 feet. The right hander struck out 84 hitters in 54 innings but he posted a 5.50 ERA due to way too many walks.
Jared Southard, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
The 25-year-old righty posted a 3.68 ERA with 70 strikeouts and 22 walks in 66 innings in 2025. Southard was selected in the 12th round of the 2022 draft out of Texas. The 6-2, 220 pounder is likely to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft after posting a 4.23 ERA in the Pacific Coast League with a 56% ground ball rate. The righty just gets outs and has above-average stuff. Southard throws a mid 90’s sinker while showing 2900 RPM breaking balls.
Tyler Vogel, RHP, San Francisco Giants
The Giants selected Tyler Vogel out of The University of San Francisco in the 12th round back in 2022. The 25-year-old posted a 2.88 ERA in 59 innings while striking out 67 and walking 27 on the season. The 6-0, 175 pounder registers plenty of ground balls and misses bats as well. Vogel does lack upper minors experience overall and it could be a hindrance for clubs. In addition to his fastball, the righty throws a splutter, slider and curveball while getting 6 feet 7 inches of extension on the mound.
Post Navigation