The White Sox have received average play out of their bullpen this season, as there are a few players having some very good seasons, while some of the other rotating players have struggled. Guys like Grant Taylor, Sean Newcomb, Tyler Davis, Bryan Hudson, and Seranthony Dominguez have all made significant contributions to the team.
Now, the depth in the bullpen just got a bit stronger, as the Cleveland Guardians officially returned their Rule-5 Draft pick Peyton Pallette, back to the White Sox. It appears at this time he will join the Charlotte Knights.
Cleveland has returned RHP Peyton Pallette to the White Sox. Pallette has been assigned to Class AAA Charlotte.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 31, 2026
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Pallette was a second round pick in the 2022 draft out of Arkansas. He opened his minor league career with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in 2023, as he started 22 games for them. That season, he went 0-4 with a 4.13 ERA. Over his 72 innings, he struck out 78 batters while walking 41.
In 2024, Pallette earned a promotion and started the season with the Winston-Salem Dash. However, things did not as planned, as over 12 starts, he had a 7+ ERA. But after a switch to the bullpen, he looked like a completely different pitcher. In 23.2 innings, Pallette gave up just two runs, starting a dominant stretch as a reliever. He quickly earned a promotion to AA Birmingham.
In 15 innings for the Barons, Pallette had a phenomenal 1.80 ERA. He struck out 16 batters and cut down on the walks. Hitters had no luck against him, as they hit just .137 off of him. He then followed that up with a solid 2025 between Birmingham and Charlotte, as he had a 4.06 ERA, striking out 86 batters in 64 innings. This lead to the Cleveland Guardians selecting him in the Rule-5 draft.
Pallette then made the Opening Day roster with the Guardians as a reliever. He got off to a solid start in his major league career, as he had a 3.55 ERA at the end of April, while a few rough appearances in May elevated his ERA. In total, he has thrown 20.2 innings of 5.23 ERA baseball. However, he has struck out 22 batters, showing off his strikeout potential.
Peyton Pallette was one of my favourite arms in the Rule 5 Draft, and unfortunately his time with Cleveland was not fruitful. I still have faith in the righty thanks to his solid 3-pitch mix, and I am sure the White Sox are glad to have him back in the system https://t.co/QbzHfDxofm pic.twitter.com/78YfF3Hj5B
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) May 24, 2026
Getting Pallette back into the organization is a big win, as I thought that he could have made the team out of Spring Training if he wasn’t selected in the Rule-5 draft. Cleveland clearly thought high enough of him, as he broke camp with their team.
Pallette’s main issue with Cleveland came via the walk, as he walked 16 batters in 20 innings. That isn’t going to cut it. However when Pallette stayed in the strike zone, hitters had a tough time seeing him, as they hit just .218 off him at the major league level.
The likely reason that Pallette is starting back with Charlotte is due to his walk issues, but I’m sure the White Sox have a plan in place to help him cut down on those walks. With time to make those adjustments in AAA, Pallette will likely join the team in Chicago at some point this season, making himself a valuable reliever. While he may not make an impact with the team right now, I believe he will in short order.
