The 2026 Major League Baseball season kicked things off this week and Saline County is playing a role.
Former Benton Panther pitcher Peyton Pallette earned an Opening Day roster spot for the Cleveland Guardians after being taken in the Rule 5 Draft earlier this season.
Earning a spot on the big league team is a dream of many boys growing up. For Pallette, it was a dream come true.
“The moment he told me was crazy because it was right after I pitched two Mondays ago in the dugout,” Pallette said. “It was crazy I still had that adrenaline pumping and still in that game mode so I didn’t really know what to say I was just like ‘OK, let’s do it, let’s fly out right now I’m ready, basically.’
“After we hugged it out and I walked back over to the bench to sit down and take a breather I just took my hat off and prayed, telling the Lord thank you because my entire life I’ve had these thoughts and visions of making it one day and in that moment it just felt as if a weight lifted of my shoulders. It’s been a long ride but the Lord’s plan is the best plan.”
Pallette graduated from Benton before taking his talents to Fayetteville where he pitched strong for the Hogs.
During spring training, Pallette was strong in every appearance, ending with a 0.00 earned run average in six innings of action. He allowed only three hits and a trio of walks with 11 strikeouts.
Pallette said he was a “heathen” as a kid, enjoying the woods and outdoors most of the time.
“Ten-year-old me would have said something like ‘yeah, that’s cool. Can I go play in the woods now,’” Pallette said when referencing what his younger self would tell himself today. “But it is a dream come true and there’s still a job to do, but I’m going to enjoy the hell out of it.”
Pallette has not seen action at the MLB level just yet, while the Guardians opened their season with a 6-4 win at Seattle on Thursday. The four-game series continues through the weekend.
“I’m most excited to just do it,” Pallette added. “Just experience what I’ve been working toward my whole career. Ever since I stepped foot in Minute Maid park in Houston my freshman year at Arkansas I told one of my coaches as we were getting ready to leave that I was gonna be back here one day.”
Pallette has made two appearances for the Guardians so far this season. On March 27, Pallette pitched two innings against the Seattle Mariners, striking out two batters while not giving up any runs or hits.Pallette struckout Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh, who was runner-up for the American League’s Most Valuable Player award last season.
Pallette appeared for another outing on March 29, again facing the Mariners, where he pitched for 1.2 innings, had one strikeout, allowed two hits and one earned run.