The White Sox added another arm to their bullpen mix Friday, claiming left-handed reliever Ryan Rolison on waivers from the Atlanta Braves. Rolison, 28, made his big league debut for the Colorado Rockies in 2025, throwing 31 games at the major league level before a trade to the Braves following the season. Rolison was designated for assignment by Atlanta this week without ever throwing a pitch for them, and will now head to Chicago. It certainly falls into the category of a reclamation project, as Rolison is coming off a 7.02 ERA in his initial big league season. 

Rolison was originally drafted 22nd overall by the Rockies in 2018 out of Ole Miss. He began his career as a starter and started nine games to round out the 2018 season. Rolison made 25 starts in 2019 and got to the High-A level, but the COVID-cancelled season in 2020 put a damper on his development. He ranked as high as the Rockies #2 prospect in 2020 and 2021 before his career hit a speed bump. Multiple injuries limited Rolison to just 20 starts combined from 2021-2023, and he moved to the bullpen after a rough start to 2024. Rolison began the 2025 season in the bullpen for Triple-A Albuquerque before a May callup for his big league debut. 

Now pitching, #50 Ryan Rolison!

Welcome to the Show 👏 pic.twitter.com/z9SHOsA6G3

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) May 14, 2025A tough go for Rolison in his first big league season

Unfortunately, Rolison’s results in Colorado were less-than-desirable, and he spent the remainder of the season going back and forth between Triple-A and the major leagues. Rolison’s xERA was 5.74, quite a bit lower than his actual 7.02 mark, but his metrics still look somewhat troubling. His strikeout rate was just 13% in 2025 and it nearly matched his 10.4% walk rate. He simply isn’t missing enough bats and hitters aren’t fooled by his offerings. Rolison’s ground ball rate of 48.6% and hard hit rate of 38.5% are promising, but he’ll need to reign in the control if he wants any chance at establishing himself in the major leagues. 

Rolison’s arsenal includes a 92-93 mph fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. None of his pitches currently stand out as elite, but it’s a mix that the White Sox have had success working with in the past. The White Sox will hope that leaving Coors Field will give his stuff a boost and he should get a chance to crack the Opening Day bullpen in Spring Training. Rolison has a minor league option remaining on his contract, so he may be a candidate to begin the year in Charlotte and serve as depth throughout the season. 

Regardless, taking a shot on a former first-round pick makes a ton of sense for a White Sox team looking for upside and trying to piece together a core. Rolison is a low-risk, high-reward pickup and will get a chance to work with Brian Bannister and Zach Bove in an effort to turn his career around. The White Sox 40-man roster is now at 38, and the team will certainly be on the hunt for more help in the bullpen as they look to build the roster.