Ryan Rolison’s Post-Rockies Journey Continues After White Sox Make Waiver Claim

The Colorado Rockies’ former first-round pick is now on his third team in less than a month after leaving the franchise.

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Ryan Rolison is trying to land a Major League job. Now, it’s with the Chicago White Sox.

Rolison, the Rockies’ 2018 first-round pick, is heading for the Chicago White Sox after he was claimed off waivers from the Atlanta Braves. Rolison ended up with the Braves after Colorado traded him last month. He was on the market after the Rockies designated Rolison for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster.

The right-hander now gets a chance to make the White Sox’s roster in spring training, assuming they keep him. The White Sox have been one of baseball’s worst teams, including setting a record for most losses in a season in 2024. Chicago has the No. 1 overall pick in 2026, thanks to the draft lottery results earlier this week.

Ryan Rolison’s Road to Chicago

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With new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta in charge, the franchise is taking a new approach to how to construct a pitching staff in the mile-high altitude of Coors Field. He wasn’t the only first-round pick who was released. Another, first baseman Michael Toglia, was also waived at the 40-man roster deadline in November. The release of the pair marked the end of an era in Rockies baseball, a pair of players fans hoped would usher in future success.

Instead, it took Rolison nearly seven years to make his MLB debut, thanks to injuries and a COVID shutdown of minor league baseball in 2020. Colorado gave him a shot last season, but he never stuck despite multiple call-ups. He pitched in 31 games. He went 1-0 with a 7.02 ERA in 42.1 innings, with 25 strikeouts and 20 walks. He also allowed batters to hit .324 against him.

It was the culmination of a long journey for the Jackson, Tenn., native, who was at one time considered the future of the Rockies’ pitching staff.

Selected as the No. 22 overall pick in 2018 out of Ole Miss, he struggled to get a foothold in the system. The Rockies selected his contract in November of 2021 in the hope that he was ready to challenge for a job in 2022. He was coming off a 4-3 season with a 5.27 ERA that saw him reach Albuquerque. He struck out 77, walked 22, threw 71.2 innings and allowed batters to hit .272 against him.

But he never pitched in 2022 as a shoulder injury sidelined him for the entire season. He remained on the injured list going into the 2023 season, returned to the field and then went back on the IL with another injury. After the season ended he was outrighted back to Triple-A Albuquerque to make room on the 40-man roster. He pitched in four games in 2023.

He finally got healthy in 2024, but the Rockies moved him into a relief role to see if he was better suited for that. He pitched for three different affiliates, went 2-3 with a 4.47 ERA and threw in 29 games, but only five starts. He threw 46.1 innings, gave up 15 walks and struck out 35. Batters hit .254 against him.

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