Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 65 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

A relatively unheralded recruit as an Arkansas high schooler, Pallette pitched just 5 2/3 innings as a Razorbacks freshman during the shortened 2020 college season before establishing himself as one of the top pitching prospects in the 2022 Draft last spring. His season ended prematurely when he came down with elbow problems last May, and he initially tried to rehab the injury. But after he worked just one inning during fall practice, his elbow bothered him again in January and he was diagnosed with a ligament tear that required Tommy John surgery. 

Pallette draws comparisons to Walker Buehler with his wiry 6-foot-1 build and quality stuff. His quick arm produces fastballs that sit at 93-95 mph and climb as high as 99 with riding action, though they generated a surprisingly low 19 percent swing-and-miss rate last spring. His best pitch is a hammer 78-83 mph curveball with high spin rates and depth that confound both left-handers and right-handers. 

Pallette also uses a changeup against lefties, and it's a bit firm in the upper 80s but he keeps it off barrels with some fade and sink. He has more velocity but less polish than Buehler exhibited in college at Vanderbilt, and he'll need to repeat his mechanics more consistently to develop better than average control. He could profile as a No. 2 starter if he proves he can handle the workload.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

One of the best college pitching prospects in the 2022 class, Pallette came down with elbow issues in May 2021 and tried to rehab the injury before getting diagnosed with a torn ligament. He had Tommy John surgery in January 2022 and missed his entire junior season, but the White Sox liked the Arkansas product's upside enough to pay him an over-slot $1.5 million in the second round. While he chafed a bit at being limited to four innings or 70 pitches per outing during his 2023 pro debut in Single-A, he did mostly regain his stuff. 

Pallette's fastball didn't reach 99 mph like it did with the Razorbacks, but it sat at 92-95 mph like usual and peaked at 97 with impressive induced vertical break. The depth and 3,000-rpm spin rates returned to his 78-82 mph downer curveball, which could be a well above-average offering with more consistency, and Chicago will have him add a slider in 2024. His mid-80s changeup has plenty of fade and while it can get too firms at times, it also shows flashes of becoming a solid third pitch. 

Pallette threw a lot of fastballs in 2023, perhaps to work on improving the command of a heater that gets hit harder than it should when he doesn't locate it up in the strike zone. He isn't big or physical and his deliver features enough effort to create concern about his long-term durability and control. If his stuff kicks up another notch and he improves his ability to locate it, he could be a No. 3 starter.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Chicago landed a first-round talent in the second round of the 2022 Draft, signing Pallette for an over-slot $1.5 million. He ranked among the very best pitching prospects in his draft class until he came down with elbow problems in May 2021, and he first tried to rehab the injury before being diagnosed with a ligament tear that resulted in Tommy John surgery in January 2022. He has pitched well during his pro debut in Single-A this summer while operating on tight pitch counts.

Pallette has drawn comparisons to Walker Buehler because he has a wiry 6-foot-1 build and quality stuff. His quick arm delivers riding fastballs that sit at 93-95 mph and have reached 99 mph in the past, though his heater doesn't always miss as many bats as it should. He had the best curveball in the 2022 Draft, a 78-83 mph offering with high spin rates and true downer break, though it hasn't been quite as sharp in his initial starts as he makes his way back from elbow reconstruction. 

Pallette's changeup is a bit firm in the upper 80s, but its fade and sink make it an effective third pitch. He has more power but less polish than Buehler did at Vanderbilt, and though his delivery is sound, he needs to repeat it more consistently to improve his command. If he can stay healthy, he has the ingredients to become a No. 2 starter.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 65 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50 

Pallette was establishing himself as one of the best college pitching prospects in his Draft class when he came down with elbow problems in May 2021, his second season at Arkansas. He tried to rehab the injury but worked just one inning in fall practice before his elbow began barking again in January and he was diagnosed with a ligament tear that required Tommy John surgery. The White Sox pounced on first-round arm talent in the second round, signing him for an over-slot $1.5 million as the 62nd overall pick. 

With a wiry 6-foot-1 build and quality stuff, Pallette elicits comparisons to Walker Buehler. He has a quick arm that produces fastballs that park at 93-95 mph and reach 99 with riding action, though his heater generated a surprisingly low 19 percent swing-and-miss rate in 2021. He had arguably the best curveball in the 2022 Draft, a 78-83 mph hammer with high spin rates and plenty of depth, and it overmatches both lefties and righties. 

Pallette's changeup is a bit firm in the upper 80s, but its fade and sink make it effective. He has more velocity and less polish than Buehler had at Vanderbilt, and he'll need to repeat his mechanics more consistently if he's to develop better than average control. If he can handle the workload, he has the stuff to become a No. 2 starter. 

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/25/2024	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to Glendale Desert Dogs.
	08/20/2024	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to Birmingham Barons from Winston-Salem Dash.
	04/02/2024	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to Winston-Salem Dash from Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
	03/14/2024	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to Chicago White Sox Prospects.
	06/30/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers activated RHP Peyton Pallette.
	06/23/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers transferred RHP Peyton Pallette to the Development List.
	06/22/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers activated RHP Peyton Pallette.
	06/14/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers transferred RHP Peyton Pallette to the Development List.
	04/16/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers activated RHP Peyton Pallette.
	04/08/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers transferred RHP Peyton Pallette to the Development List.
	04/05/2023	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to Kannapolis Cannon Ballers from ACL White Sox.
	11/10/2022	ACL White Sox activated RHP Peyton Pallette.
	08/08/2022	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to ACL White Sox.
	07/28/2022	Chicago White Sox signed RHP Peyton Pallette.
	06/11/2022	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to College Workout.
	03/15/2022	RHP Peyton Pallette and assigned to Arkansas Razorbacks.
	02/02/2021	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to Arkansas Razorbacks.
	02/02/2021	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to Arkansas Razorbacks.
	02/21/2020	RHP Peyton Pallette assigned to Arkansas Razorbacks.