Today the 2024 Rule 5 draft was held at the winter meetings - there are two phases to the draft - in the major league portion players selected must remain on the major league active roster for the entire season else be offered back. In the minor league portion players selected can be assigned to any affiliate. Here are the players with old or now new Phillies ties that were impacted by today’s draft selections.
Major League Portion :
The Phillies selected RHP Mike Vasil from the New York Mets in the major league portion of the draft. He is 24 years old and was the Mets 2021 8th round draft selection from the University of Virginia. Vasil pitched at the AAA level last season for Syracuse appearing in 29 games (27 starts) and posting a 6.04 ERA in 134 IP, he struck out 109 batters and walked 52. In his minor league career he’s pitched in 76 games (73 starts) with a 4.90 ERA in 336.1 IP with 342 K’s and 124 walks. At one time he was considered as one of the Mets top pitching prospects. He was subsequently traded to the Rays for cash considerations.
RH Eiberson Castellano was selected from the Phillies by the Minnesota Twins. The 23 year old was signed as an international free agent on 7/2/18 from Maracaibo, Venezuela - Eiberson posted a 4-2 record in 14 appearances (12 starts) at Jersey Shore with a 4.12 ERA in 63.1 IP with 86 K’s and 20 walks in 2024. He was promoted to Reading 7/16/24 - in 8 starts (40.1 IP) he had a 3.79 ERA with 50 K’s and 9 walks - a .211 BAA and 0.99 WHIP. He was the Player Development pitcher of the month in July. Overall 2024 numbers : 6-5, 22 games (20 starts), 3.99 ERA, 103.2 IP, 136 K’s, 29 BB, 1.14 WHIP, 4.69 K/BB ratio. Earned the 2024 Paul Owens Award. He has the skillset to contribute at the major league level and will now get a chance to stick with the Twins in spring training - we wish him well.
Minor League Portion :
The Phillies had six available roster spots in the minor league portion of the draft - they filled all six (teams can protect up to a limit of 38 players). Here are their selections.
Eduardo Lopez - OF - Boston Red Sox - 22 years old - from Tamboril, Dominican Republic - signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent 7/2/18 - switch hitter - right handed thrower - played at the High A level in 2024 for Greenville in the South Atlantic League. Lopez posted a .232/.343/.425 slash line with 11 doubles, 3 triples, 6 home runs and 23 RBIs in 213 plate appearances in 2024. It was his second consecutive season at the High A level - he posted a .356 OBP in 2023 in 315 plate appearances. He’s had issues with injuries over his career and missing games as a result, was a top international signing in 2018 as the Red Sox paid him a $1.15 signing bonus. He can play all three outfield positions. Will likely battle in ST to earn a AA or High A roster spot.
Emmanuel Mejia - RHP - Tampa Rays - 25 years old - from Bonao, Dominican Republic - signed by the Pirates as an international free agent 2/20/19 - taken by the Rays in the 2022 Rule 5 minor league draft - last season he was a reliever for the Rays AAA affiliate Durham where he appeared in 42 games (5 starts) and recorded a 7.83 ERA in 54 IP with 59 K’s and 34 walks. The year before he split time at the AA and AAA levels and recorded a 3.91 ERA in 50.2 IP with 74 K’s and 29 walks. He features a fastball that is in the 94 to 98 mph range, slider/curve and changeup. Pitches for the Gigantes del Cibao team in the Dominican Winter League. Will likely compete for a bullpen role in ST with Lehigh Valley - he’s a big fella with a big arm.
Augusto Calderon - RHP - St Louis Cardinals - 24 years old - from San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic - signed by the Cardinals as an international free agent 4/25/18 - pitched at the Low A level in 2024 for Palm Beach - 33 games (one start) with a 4.87 ERA in 61 IP, 68 K’s, 25 walks - spent three years in the DSL, one in the FCL and the last two at Low A in the FSL. Has pitched in 121 career games (one start) totalling 192.1 IP with a 4.87 ERA. Features a high velocity sinker (94 to 99 mph), change up and slider. He becomes a project for the Phillies PD pitching staff to shine up his fastball and help him command/control the zone - sounds like a candidate for the pitching lab and then see where it goes from there.
Elio Prado - OF - Baltimore Orioles - 23 years old - from Caracas, Venezuela - signed by the Boston Red Sox on 7/2/18 as an international free agent - was traded to the Orioles on 7/13/19 - played last season for High A Aberdeen - .223/.332/.327 slash line in 305 plate appearances with 11 doubles, 4 home runs and 31 RBIs - it was his second year at High A - has played mostly center field but has seen time in both corners as well. Is noted as a good defender, athletic with above average speed - known for his energy, enthusiasm and love of playing the game. Will likely compete in ST for a roster spot with Jersey Shore.
Gabriel Barbosa - New Year Yankees - 22 years old - from Bastos, Brazil - signed by the Colorado Rockies 7/2/18 as an international free agent - was taken in the 12/6/23 minor league rule 5 draft by the Yankees - pitched for Low A level Tampa last season in the FSL - 24 appearances (20 starts) posting a 5.09 ERA in 120.1 IP with 128 K’s and 38 walks - throws strikes. Has never pitched above High A but has appeared in 87 career games - 52 starts - 337.1 IP - 4.54 ERA - 311 K’s, 75 walks - features a fastball/sinker in the 90-92 mph range, a curve and slider that he uses as primaries, cutter and change up. He’s a multi offering pitch-ability type hurler who knows how to sequence deliveries and command/control the zone. He was a member of the Brazilian team that played in the World Baseball Classic. Will likely compete in ST for a roster spot with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws as either a starter or bulk reliever.
Isaias Dipre - OF - Pittsburgh Pirates - 21 years old - from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic - signed by the Pirates as an international free agent 8/12/19 - has played 1B, 2B, 3B, LF and RF in his brief career to date - all in the Dominican Summer League - mostly RF and LF as of late - in 46 games last season for the DSL Pirates Gold team he slashed .301/.441/.579 with a 1.020 OPS in 46 games (171 plate appearances) with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs and 19 RBIs - his career numbers - .281/.390/.472 with a .862 OPS in 442 PA/s with 30 doubles, 11 home runs and 56 RBIs - 25 stolen bases. Dipre was amongst the top 10 in the DSL last season in home runs and OPS. He made the NL DSL All-Star team last season. Isaias will very likely get a chance to come stateside this spring as part of extended spring camp and then the FCL Phillies.
Former Phillies in the draft
RHP Tyler Burch was selected by the Colorado Rockies from the Baltimore Orioles in the minor league portion of the draft. Tyler was signed as an un-drafted free agent by the Phillies on 6/12/19 from Lewis-Clark State University and was traded to the Orioles on 7/30/21 to acquire infielder Freddy Galvis. RHP Adam Leverett was selected by the Seattle Mariners from the Tampa Rays in the minor league portion of the draft. Adam just recently had TJ surgery and will miss next season while in rehab mode. He was selected by the Phillies in the 15th round of the 2019 draft from Gordon State Junior College and was traded to the Rays on 11/6/23 in exchange for RHP Michael Mercado.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
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