White Sox Call-Up Former Pirates Outfielder
PITTSBURGH — A former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder has made it back to the MLB level, but with another team.
The Chicago White Sox selected the contract of outfielder Joshua Palacios on April 10, putting him on their MLB roster.
Palacios hails from Brooklyn, N.Y. and played for the High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology, earning 2013 New York City High School Player of the Year honors.
The Cincinnati Reds selected him in the 31st round of the 2014 MLB Draft, but he decided on playing for San Jacinto Junior College.
He hit .376 with six doubles and 26 RBIs for San Jacinto as a freshman in 2014 and then .364 with 12 doubles, nine triples, 36 RBIs and 29 stolen bases as a sophomore in 2015.
Palacios then played for Auburn as a junior in 2016, hitting .385 with five home runs, nine doubles, four triples, 23 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 34 games.
The Toronto Blue Jays took Palacios in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB Draft, getting him on a $438,100 signing bonus.
Palacios spent almost five seasons in the Blue Jays' minor league system before earning his call-up t- the MLB on April 9, 2021. The Blue Jays would send him back down to Triple-A Buffalo on May 3 and designated him for assignment on April 11, 2022.
The Washington Nationals claimed Palacios off of Waivers on April 15 and he played in 29 games at the MLB level.
The Pirates would select Palacios in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft and he would spend time at Double-A Altoona and Indianapolis in 2023.
Palacios also played 91 games for the Pirates in the 2023 season, slashing .239/.279/.413, with nine doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 40 RBI.
He played in just 23 games for the Pirates in 2024, dealing with some minor injuries and spending most of his time in Indianapolis, playing 50 games there. He slashed .224/.333/.343 with 15 hits, two doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and 10 walks for the Pirates last season.
The Pirates designated Palacios on assignment back on March 22, as they placed right-handed pitcher Hunter Stratton on the 40-man roster.
He cleared waivers on March 29 and the Pirates sent him to the Indianapolis Indians at Triple-A.
Palacios elected free agency on March 31 and would sign with the White Sox on April 3.
