The Philadelphia Phillies made a selection in Major League Baseball’s Rule 5 Draft, which took place on Wednesday, Dec. 11, snatching a player from the New York Mets for the first time in 40 years.
Over the past twenty years, the Phillies have selected now 21 players in the Rule 5 Draft, among them Odúbel Herrera, Michael Martinez, Shane Victorino, and most recently, former Mets top pitching prospect Mike Vasil.
The Mets’ former eight-round pick was the team’s 18th top prospect, according to MLB.com. Vasil struggled in 2024, pitching to the tune of a 6.04 ERA at AAA, which, in conjunction with his age (24), led to New York opting against protecting him in the Rule 5 Draft.
As far as his future in Philadelphia, it may not be the longest chapter of his life as the Phillies could look to move Vasil in a trade, according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
*Update*
The Phillies announced mere hours after acquiring Vasil that the team had traded the right-hander to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations.
In addition to Vasil, the Phillies lost right-handed pitcher Eiberson Castellano to the Minnesota Twins and drafted outfielder Eduardo Lopez from the Red Sox, right-handed pitcher Enmanuel Mejia from the Rays, right-handed pitcher Agusto Calderon from the Cardinals, Outfielder Elio Prado from the Orioles,
Right-handed pitcher Gabriel Barbosa from the Yankees and infielder Isaias Dipre from the Pirates in the minor league Rule 5 Draft.
