As predicted heading into the Rule 5 Draft the Phillies had an uneventful major league portion of the Rule 5 draft. They did not have any prospects who were likely to help a major league team in 2024 and picking late in a weak draft they decided to not make any selections. The minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft is where the action happened.
For those that aren’t embedded in this, the minor league phase involves teams having a 38 man AAA reserve roster to protect players eligible for the Rule 5 draft who are not on the 40 man roster. Much like the major league portion, roster spots not used to protect can be used to select. The big difference is there are no strings attached to selections, a player selected can be assigned to any level and is yours for the duration of their minor league contract. The cost is the roster spot and some cash (I believe $24,000). Last year the Phillies entered with a roster of 31 and made 7 selections, culminating in Oliver Dunn. Two of the players selected are still in the org. It is a way to take a flyer on a player deep in another organization that you like or fills a minor league need.
First the players the Phillies lost
- LHP Rafael Marcano (MIN) – Marcano has a starting pitcher’s arsenal and has had his fastball life rated highly by some. Velocity has fluctuated over the years between high 80s and low 90s. Control has come and gone, had a good end of the year for the BlueClaws.
- LHP Keylan Killgore (KCR) – Killgore was a 17th round pick back in 2018, a college teammate of Alec Bohm. He has a low 90s fastball, solid slider, and changeup, but has never really put up good results.
- RHP Carlos Betancourt (HOU) – Bulk reliever signed back in 2017 that has moved slowly through the system. Has a fastball, slider, and changeup with the fastball sitting low 90s, but getting up to 96.
- RHP Blake Brown (TBR) – Brown was a NDFA signing in 2020. He has a big arm, can miss bats, and missed the last two full seasons to injury.
There is certainly some talent in the group, but none of them were near the offseason list.
The Phillies countered their losses with a bunch of catching.
Round 1 – William Simoneit (OAK) – Oakland signed Simoneit out of Wake Forest (started his time in college at Cornell) as a NDFA in 2020. He has mostly played at AA the last two years, struggling much more in 2023. Has been a catcher and first baseman with little power. Looks like a good org guy. He also was elected this past November as one of two minor leaguers to the MLBPA Executive Board.
Round 2 – C Luis Caicuto (ARI) – Caicuto signed with Diamondbacks back in July of 2019 and won’t turn 21 until March. He only played 9 games in 2023 due to injury. He mashed as a 19 year old in the Arizona Complex league in 2022, hitting .352/.433/.451 with 10 walks and 13 strikeouts in 30 games. He is a young catcher with good contact and approach. He will be someone to watch.
Round 3 – C Carson Taylor (LAD) – The Dodgers took Taylor in the 4th round of the 2020 draft and signed him for slot. He had a great 2021 season in hi-A but has scuffled and regressed the last two years in AA. He has been poor behind the plate, with opposing teams running wild on him. There is some previous track record, but the current is quite bad.
Round 4 – SS Trevor Schwecke (TOR) – The Blue Jays took Schwecke in the 13th round of the 2019 draft, and after a terrible 2019, 2021, and 2022 he had a breakout age 25 season in 2023. He hit .281/.377/.443 in AA (71 games) and .265/.33/.367 in AAA (16 games). He has played all over the diamond, logging time at every position but center field in 2023. At minimum he looks like an interesting org guy.
Round 5 – 1B Bryce Ball (CLE) – Ball was a breakout prospect for the Braves before the pandemic, but it did not carry over after the missed 2020 season. He was traded to Chicago for Joc Pederson, eventually released and signed with Cleveland. He is a big bodied first baseman with big raw power, but hard time getting to the contact needed to use it.