White Sox Rule 5 right-hander Jedixson Paez has cleared waivers and been returned to the Red Sox, per Gabrielle Starr of The Boston Herald. Chicago designated Paez for assignment earlier this week, and since Paez cleared waivers without being claimed, the White Sox had to offer him back to the Red Sox for a $50K fee.
Paez had never pitched beyond the high-A level before he made his Major League debut for the Southsiders on March 26. Unfortunately for Paez, his first taste of the Show didn’t go smoothly, as he was charged with three runs in two of his three outings. The end result was an 18.00 ERA over three total innings of work, with two homers and two walks allowed without any strikeouts.
Rebuilding teams like the White Sox often view the R5 as a way of taking fliers on young talent, and Chicago’s addition of Shane Smith in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft is a prime example of how much selections can pay off in a big way. The much more common result, of course, is that players taken from the lower minors like Paez often struggle after the big jump up to facing MLB talent. Since Rule 5 picks must stay on their new team’s active roster for the entire season in order for their rights to be officially secured, the White Sox felt giving Paez more opportunities over the next six months wasn’t going to help his development.
Paez now returns to Boston’s organization, and is likely ticketed for high-A ball or Double-A. The 22-year-old is still an interesting prospect to keep an eye on down the road, as Paez has shown outstanding command while posting a 3.22 ERA over 307 2/3 career minor league innings.
Garbage day!
I am completely shocked that a kid who hasn’t pitched above high A ball could not stick on a major league roster.
Worth a shot. Least he got a taste of the sho
Agreed and enjoyed the sarcasm of your post… Looks like the White Sox Rule 5 magic has finally worn off. Last year’s “sensational discovery”, Shane Smith, was figured out, by opposing teams, just before All Star break. He was limited through the second half & “required” an IL stint just to survive the entire season. This year, he is a complete disaster. Vasil down this year with TJ surgery. Granted, you can say that may not be a direct correlation to the Rule 5. But, he is down for the next year plus.
I had such, tempered, hopes for the Sox to be better this year. Yes, I know it’s only the beginning of the season. However, the simple mental errors this team is committing are extremely frustrating. Let alone everything else (Serenity now, Serenity now!)…. OK, I feel better, I’ll go home now.
2 starts for Shane so far. The R5 luck from the Sox last year was absolutely insane last season.
They looked much better yesterday. Like the accountability abd team unity where role players like Peters and Hill stepped up. Interesting that theyre 2-0 against old friend Dylan- showing the type of pitcher he is: great stuff but once again can’t finish 5 due to elevated pitch counts. See if they can keep it going tomorrow when we go. Go Cats!
What rule 5 magic lol? You take 8 players in rule 5 the last 15 years, one of em is bound to stick
I guess Im just old fashioned, but to me opening games with a reliever this early in the season (2 games in a row) inspires no confidence either. As for errors, if these guys are here as they should be good players, there should be no more ‘mental mistakes’. Those days are over, and it only endorses losing, and, for the love of Pete, Score runs.. 3-14 with RISP.. UGH….
This is where the new pitching coach earns his keep. Smith has an issue, fix it, fix it now. If teams have ‘figured him out’ time to change the play book, that is why we have pitching coaches.
Anyway, someone needs to inform Getz and Reinsdorf that they cannot get another 1st overall if they tank twice in a row. Should have learned that a couple of years ago, but apparently not.
Though Im more surprised that the Sox have taken 2 of 3 from the Blue Jays, I would be livid if I was a Blue Jay fan right now.
Uh, starting with openers the first 2 games of the series especially one with lights out stuff like Grant Taylor was instrumental in getting past the gauntlet of Vlad-Barger on the way to successful outings by Burke and Kay, on the way to a 3 gm sweep of the AL champs. Too bad Will and Brian didn’t think to consult you on your kiester; maybe they’d have gotten better results.
Petition to give this dude Jhostynxon Garcia’s nickname
How about Jedi as his nickname?
I wonder if they’ll take his inspirational story down from the Sox website lol.
Probably but then they’ll put it on the Sox website.
No way Jerry would give it away for free lol.
Jedixson? My name is Jedixson? Wow!
Hello I’m Dixon Syder.., pleased to meet you.
Perfect candidate for the velocity improvement team. He’s young, had moderate success, should not have been thrown into the “fire” but such is the nature of the rule 5 draft for kids that fall between the cracks of the system. He was setup to fail. Hope it doesn’t stunt his development
I’m hoping his time in ML spring training & with the big league club was a good learning and growth experience for him. He had to know it was unlikely that he’d stick around very long.
To me, he was setup to succeed.. This give a guy to show that he is worthy of being on a roster. If he is not, no harm, he goes back to the team he was with and continues to languish in their system like he was before the other team give him a shot.
He wasn’t languishing tho. He was doing well enough in his development that another team grabbed him. He should have had another year before this happened but international signings don’t follow the same path as guys drafted. Hes a High A guy at the moment.
Remember Terry Forester with the White Sox, he made the major league club, after 1 year of single a ball, he was 19 yrs old and did a good job
His minor league experience wasn’t even close to one year. Terry Forster was drafted in June of 1970 and made just 10 appearances at A ball Appleton, 9 of which were starts. He made the White Sox opening day roster in 1971, primarily as their top lefty reliever behind closer Bart Johnson.
It was a different era back then when it came to using pitchers. Manager Chuck Tanner utilized nearly his entire staff in multiple roles. Every regular starter found some work out the bullpen while Johnson wound up starting 16 games despite being the team’s primary closer.
This versatility and overuse negatively impacted White Sox pitchers like Tommy John and eventually Forster as well. Forster was utilized as a part time starter by 1973 and was given a full rotation role in 1976 under new manager Paul Richards despite elbow issues in 1975 that limited him to just 17 appearances. By 1978, Forster required additional surgeries. He finished his career as a decent reliever with the Dodgers and Braves but was never an overpowering reliever like he was back in 1972 when he pitched exclusively out of the pen.
Like former “Go-Go” White Sox southpaw Gary Peters, Forster was also an exceptional hitter.
Forster also had extreme weight issues as his career wound down. In 1985 Forster reportedly weighed 270 pounds while with the Braves. David Letterman gave him national notoriety when he referred to the lefty as a “fat tub of goo”. Forster would later appear as a guest on Letterman’s ‘Late Night’ show. In jest, he ate a sandwich as he entered the set following Letterman’s introduction. He also recorded the novelty song “Fat Is In”.
Justin Gonzales HR…
x.com/Hunter_Noll/status/2040201808484663317?ref_s…
He has a great arm too…
x.com/Hunter_Noll/status/2040237570173419840?ref_s…
That 1970 Appleton Foxes team had three 18-year-olds and a 19-year-old on the roster. The 18s were Forster, Bucky Dent, and Rich Gossage. The 19 was Lamar Johnson.
Not bad.
Change your Sox back, young man!
It’s always good when players change their Sox
Return of the Jedixson.
The guy should be thankful he is not with this incompetent org anymore.. As for the competency of the Red Sox org, well I cannot speak to that.