The White Sox are taking a calculated swing in this year’s Rule 5 Draft, selecting 21-year-old right-hander Luis Paez from the Red Sox organization. Paez, ranked No. 19 among Boston’s top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline, brings a different kind of profile than what we’ve typically seen from the White Sox front office in recent years.
This isn’t your prototypical high-velocity, high-risk arm. Instead, Paez is all about precision, pitchability, and poise.
Originally signed out of Venezuela in 2021, the 6-foot-1, 170-pound righty doesn’t light up the radar gun-his fastball sits in the low 90s and tops out around 94 mph-but what he lacks in heat, he more than makes up for in command. Scouts give his control a 70 grade, which speaks volumes. That kind of elite command is rare, especially for a pitcher this young.
And the numbers back it up. In 2024, Paez posted 113 strikeouts across 96 2/3 innings between Low-A and High-A, issuing just 12 walks.
That’s a staggering 9.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio-second-best in the minor leagues last season. His walk rate?
Just 3%, which ranked third. Those are the kind of metrics that turn heads in front offices.
Part of what makes Paez so effective is his pitch mix. He actually throws his slider more than his fastball, a heavy usage that keeps hitters guessing.
But his best offering is his changeup-a pitch with late, sharp downward movement that consistently misses barrels. Add in a deceptive delivery, a low arm slot, and a knack for mixing locations, and you’ve got a pitcher who lives in the strike zone but rarely gets hit hard.
While Paez’s 2024 campaign was shortened by a calf injury-he threw just 19.1 innings over seven starts at High-A-he still managed a 2.79 ERA during that stretch. That’s a small sample size, but it’s consistent with the kind of pitcher he’s shown himself to be: efficient, effective, and in control.
It’s worth noting that while all of his appearances last year came as a starter, he’s no stranger to working out of the bullpen. In fact, 10 of his 22 outings in 2024 came in relief. That versatility could be key for a White Sox team looking to add depth and stability to its bullpen.
Chris Getz has made it clear the White Sox are in the market for bullpen help, and Paez could fit that mold-especially in a low-leverage role as he adjusts to big-league hitters. Last year’s Rule 5 success story, Shane Smith, stepped in and delivered a 3.81 ERA while earning the team’s lone All-Star nod. If Paez can find a similar groove, he could carve out a valuable role in Chicago’s bullpen.
This isn’t a flashy pick, but it’s a smart one. Paez isn’t going to blow hitters away with velocity, but he doesn’t need to. His command, pitch mix, and baseball IQ give him a real shot to stick on the roster-and potentially grow into something more.