White Sox trade pitcher to Athletics for outfielder

On Saturday, the Chicago White Sox acquired minor-league outfielder Junior Perez from the Athletics in exchange for minor-league left-hander Jackson Nove.

Perez, 24, was designated for assignment by the A’s on Thursday after hitting .210/.273/.384 over 36 games at Triple-A Las Vegas this season. His 2026 production included 5 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, and 19 RBI across 154 plate appearances. He was added to the Athletics 40-man roster in November ahead of the Rule 5 Draft following a strong 2025 showing in Triple-A, where he recorded a .298/.412/.642 slash line in 182 plate appearances. Across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, Perez hit .231/.348/.473 with 26 home runs and 27 stolen bases in 33 attempts.

Ranked as the No. 20 prospect in the Athletics system by MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, Perez also brings defensive value, with strong range and arm strength that allow him to play all three outfield positions, especially center field. His profile includes plus speed and walk generation, though swing-and-miss issues have limited his offensive consistency. He has not yet made his MLB debut.

The White Sox optioned Perez to Triple-A Charlotte after the trade, filling the final spot on their 40-man roster.

On the return side, Nove, 23, moves to Sacramento after beginning his professional career in 2025 as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Kentucky. In his first pro season with Low-A Kannapolis, he finished with a 1.96 ERA over 23.0 innings, allowing 5 earned runs, while posting 41 strikeouts across 12 appearances (including one start). His underlying metrics included a 59.5% ground-ball rate and a 42.3% strikeout rate.

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