Former Pirates outfielder lands minor league deal with White Sox after spring DFA

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Philadelphia Phillies v Pittsburgh Pirates | Kevin Sabitus/GettyImages

Less than two weeks after the Pittsburgh Pirates designated him for assignment during the final week of spring training, Joshua Palacios has found a new home.

Per a report from FanSided's Robert Murray, Palacios has agreed to a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. The 29-year-old outfielder opted to elect free agency instead of accepting a minor league assignment from the Pirates after clearing outright waivers last week and will likely report to Triple-A Charlotte.

Originally selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB Draft, Palacios made his MLB debut with Toronto in 2021 and had a brief stint with the Washington Nationals the following season. He landed with Pittsburgh in the Triple-A portion of the 2022 Rule 5 Draft and held a spot on the Pirates' 40-man roster throughout each of the past two seasons.

Former Pirates outfielder Joshua Palacios lands minor league deal with White Sox after spring DFA

Palacios hit well in the upper minors, slashing a career .293/.373/.430 over eight minor league seasons – including a .303/.388/.485 slash line in more than 700 trips to the plate at the Triple-A level. He has struggled at the Major League level, however, and slashed just .236/.291/.398 in 114 big league games with Pittsburgh from 2023-24.

Palacios' defensive ability in the outfield is average at best, and he exhausted his final option year in 2024. The Pirates' offseason additions of Adam Frazier and Tommy Pham – not to mention strong spring training performances from Jack Suwinski and Ji Hwan Bae – effectively squeezed him off the roster. The Pirates ultimately DFA'd Palacios on March 22 when they added right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton to the 40-man roster.

Though he is joining the White Sox on a minor-league deal, don't be surprised if Palacios gets some big league playing time later in the year. Chicago has a number of outfielders who could be available in midseason trade talks, which could open up an opportunity for a non-roster depth player like Palacios to earn his way back to the Majors.

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