A pick eerily similar to the 13th-ranked prospect, Grant Taylor, Peyton Pallette also had Tommy John surgery right before his last college season. The White Sox would then draft Pallette in the second round, who if he had not gotten surgery, would have been a first-round pick. It is kind of crazy to think that the White Sox did this two years in a row. I see why they did it, as Pallette has been everything as advertised and more.
After getting into four games as a freshman, he took a big step up in terms of playing time his sophomore year. He would go on to start 11 games, throwing 56 innings. In those innings, he gave up 51 hits, 25 runs, and walked 20. This was good for a very solid 4.02 ERA. He struck out 67 batters in that timeframe, showing his major-league stuff.
Unfortunately, he would need Tommy John surgery before the 2022 season and would not pitch with the organization after getting drafted in the second round. Luckily, he came back in 2023 and pitched extremely well.
This year for the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, the A ball affiliate for the Sox, Pallette would start 22 games for a total of 72 innings. They had him on an innings limit as he worked his way back from his surgery.
In those 72 innings, he would give up only 57 hits, but he would walk 41 batters and give up 8 home runs. This was good for a .213 opponent’s batting average and a 1.36 WHIP. This shows he wasn’t really getting hit hard, but walks were a bit of an issue, showcased by the 1.36 WHIP. He finished the season with a 4.13 ERA and 78 strikeouts.
Overall, that was a very solid season for his first professional season. He had control issues, but coming off Tommy John, that could be expected. Scouts grade his control as average, so it shouldn’t really be a problem for him next year, especially if that is a focus point.
Scouts absolutely love his fastball and his curveball, as MLB ranks them 60 out of 80, which means they are well above average pitches. He has a mid-90s fastball that can get up to triple digits. That is a very valuable asset for a starting pitcher, as it is nice to have some extra velocity in your back pocket. Scouts feel that he has top-of-the-rotation upside, so let’s hope he can really tap into that potential now he is fully healthy.
Overall, I would grade his season as an A- He had a great year off of Tommy John and as long as he can get his control back to normal, he should be a quick riser in the White Sox system.
