ORLANDO — It was a quiet week at the winter meetings for the Guardians, but at least they didn’t go home empty handed.
On Wednesday, they selected right-hander Peyton Pallette from the White Sox’s unprotected list in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.
They selected Jack Carey, another right-hander, in the Triple-A phase of the draft from Pittsburgh.
It cost the Guardians $100,000 to draft Pallette. They must keep him on the 26-man roster for the regular season or offer him back to the White Sox for half the sum they paid for him.
The Guardians have spent the last several weeks looking for bullpen help. On Monday, manager Stephen Vogt said, “We’ve got four or five guys and we need eight.”
They signed right-hander Connor Brogdon on Dec. 3 to a one-year big-league deal worth $900,000. If Pallette sticks with the Guardians, it will be in the bullpen.
Last year between Double-A and Triple-A with the White Sox, he went 2-3 with a 4.06 ERA with 11 saves. He struck out 86 and walked 28 in 52 games.
“You heard Stephen Vogt and others in the organization talk about adding to our bullpen,” said Will Huntington, assistant director of baseball operations and development. “We think Peyton can be a real strong addition to the organization.”
Pallette, 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, was the White Sox’s second round pick in 2022. They drafted him that high even though he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow while pitching for Arkansas before the draft.
“He brings a lot of things to the table,” said Huntington. “He has the athleticism, the polish, the ability to start and relieve at the college and professional level.
“He has an exciting arsenal with a couple of strong breaking balls, a nice changeup and an encouraging fastball.”
In his minor league career, Peyton has 282 strikeouts in 259 innings. He was projected to be a first-round pick until he was injured before the draft.
Last season, Carey, 26, went 5-1 with a 3.53 ERA and four saves in 44 games for the Pirates at Class A and Double A. He struck out 66 in 57 innings.
For the first time in several years, the Guardians did not lose an unprotected player in the Rule 5 Draft.
There are no roster restrictions on Carey. It cost the Guardians $12,000 to draft him.
The Guardians’ roster is now at 39.