Every Phillies Rule 5 Draft pick since 1970
PHILADELPHIA ¨C MLB holds its annual Rule 5 Draft every Winter Meetings.
The Phillies have made their share of Rule 5 picks over the years. They selected Hall of Fame right-hander Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1910 (though the rules behind the Rule 5 were different then).
He worked out pretty well.
Other Rule 5 picks included Pinky Whitney (1927), Clay Dalrymple ('59) and Jack Baldschun (1960).
It is an interesting list of players.
Here is a look at the Phillies¡¯ Rule 5 Draft picks since '70 (in reverse order):
2022: Red Sox right-hander Noah Song
This was one of the most interesting Rule 5 picks in Phillies history, even though he never pitched for the big league club. The Phillies selected Song from Boston, knowing he had an indefinite commitment with the United States Navy. Song had been stationed with the Fleet Replacement Squadron in Jacksonville, Fla., where he trained on a P-8 Poseidon aircraft as a naval flight officer. Song had not pitched competitively since 2019, when he had a 1.06 ERA in 17 innings with Class A Short-Season Lowell. But people believed then that he could be a top-of-the-rotation starter, including Philadelphia president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who was with Boston at the time.
2020: Yankees shortstop Kyle Holder
The Phillies selected Holder with the 11th pick, but he never played for them because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which canceled the 2020 Minor League season. He last played professionally for Triple-A Albuquerque in 2022.
2019: Cubs infielder Vimael Machin
The Phillies immediately traded Machin to the A¡¯s for cash considerations.
2018: Dodgers shortstop Drew Jackson
Like Machin, the Phillies traded Jackson, to the Orioles -- for international bonus pool money.
2017: Twins pitcher Nick Burdi
Like Machin and Jackson, the Phillies traded Burdi, to the Pirates -- for international bonus pool money.
2015: Rays outfielder Tyler Goeddel
Goeddel slashed .192/.258/.291 in 234 plate appearances with the Phillies in 2016. He showed some promise at one point, slashing .281/.340/.472 over 97 plate appearances from May 8 to June 11, but Goeddel had only 102 plate appearances the rest of the season. The Reds claimed Goeddel off waivers in April '17. He has not played in the big leagues since.
2015: Royals pitcher Daniel Stumpf
The left-hander posted a 10.80 ERA in seven appearances with the Phillies in 2016. In between, he served an 80-game suspension for testing positive for an anabolic steroid. Stumpf later hooked up with the Tigers, posting a 4.37 ERA over 159 appearances from 2017-19.
2014: Rangers outfielder Od¨²bel Herrera
Herrera batted .297 with eight home runs, 41 RBIs and a .762 OPS in 537 plate appearances as a rookie in 2015 before making the National League All-Star team in '16. The Phillies expected greater things from Herrera in the future, which is why then-general manager Matt Klentak signed him to a five-year, $30.5 million contract extension in December '16. But Herrera has a .740 OPS and 94 OPS+ since. He was arrested in May '19 on a charge of simple assault of his girlfriend. The charge was dismissed, but Major League Baseball suspended Herrera 85 games for violating its Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. The Phillies removed Herrera from the 40-man roster in January, first designating him for assignment and then outrighting him to Triple-A.
2014: Pirates pitcher Andy Oliver
The southpaw never pitched for the Phillies. He made seven starts for the Tigers from 2010-11.
2013: D-backs pitcher Kevin Munson
The right-hander never pitched for the Phillies and has not appeared in the big leagues.
2012: D-backs outfielder Ender Inciarte
Inciarte made the 2013 Opening Day roster, but the Phillies were still in ¡°win-now¡± mode and returned him to the D-Backs a few days later to make room for outfielder Ezequiel Carrera. It was not one of the Phillies¡¯ best moves. Carrera, who eventually left the roster because of Delmon Young¡¯s return, appeared in only 13 games for the Phillies. Inciarte made the 2017 NL All-Star team and won three Gold Glove Awards with the Braves.
2010: Nationals infielder Michael Martinez
Martinez slashed .187/.234/.261 in 396 plate appearances with the Phillies from 2011-13. No, he could not hit, but he carved out a seven-year career with the Phillies, Tribe, Rays, Pirates and Red Sox because of his speed and defensive versatility.
2009: Angels pitcher David Herndon
Herndon had a 3.79 ERA in 92 appearances with the Phillies from 2010-11 before right arm injuries effectively ended his career. He made just five appearances for the Phillies in '12 and never again appeared in the big leagues.
2008: Angels pitcher Bobby Mosebach
He never pitched for the Phillies and made only three appearances in his big league career.
2007: Giants pitcher Travis Blackley
The lefty never pitched for the Phillies, but he made 82 appearances (26 starts) with the Giants, Rangers, Mariners, Astros and A¡¯s from 2004-13.
2007: Red Sox pitcher Lincoln Holdzkom
Holdzkom never pitched for the Phillies and never appeared in the big leagues.
2006: Royals catcher Adam Donachie
The Phillies traded Donachie to the Orioles for pitcher Alfredo Simon, whom Baltimore selected in the Rule 5 Draft from the Rangers. Simon returned to Texas the following March.
2006: Indians pitcher Jim Ed Warden
Warden never pitched for the Phillies or the big leagues.
2006: Angels catcher Ryan Budde
He never played for the Phillies, but Budde appeared in 29 games for the Angels from 2007-10.
2004: Dodgers outfielder Shane Victorino
Victorino is unquestionably the Phillies' most successful Rule 5 selection of the past 50 years. In fact, MLB.com recently ranked Victorino as one of the greatest outfielders in franchise history. The Flyin¡¯ Hawaiian slashed .279/.345/.439 and a 105 OPS+ with the Phillies from 2005-12. He hit an unforgettable grand slam off CC Sabathia in Game 2 of the '08 NL Division Series and a game-tying home run in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series. Victorino made two NL All-Star teams and won three consecutive Gold Glove Awards from '08-10 with the Phillies.
1998: Indians outfielder David Miller
Miller never made the Phillies and never appeared in the big leagues.
1997: Marlins pitcher Hector Mercado
The Phillies immediately traded the lefty to the Mets for Mike Welch, who had an 8.27 ERA in 10 games in 1998. Philadelphia reacquired Mercado in 2002, when it sent Reggie Taylor to Cincinnati. Mercado made 44 appearances (three starts) for the Phillies in '02-03, going 2-2 with a 4.99 ERA. He later became a coach in the Phillies¡¯ farm system.
1996: Astros pitcher Edgar Ramos
Ramos went 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA in four appearances (two starts) for the Phillies in 1997. Those were his only big league outings.
1995: Expos pitcher B.J. Wallace
The southpaw had a 5.83 ERA with Class A Advanced Clearwater in 1996, his final season of organized baseball.
1994: Reds infielder Craig Worthington
Worthington already had 1,299 career plate appearances with the Orioles and Tribe when the Phillies selected him in the Rule 5 Draft. He never played for Philadelphia, who returned him to Cincinnati in April 1995. He played in only 49 more games in his big league career after that.
1994: Expos pitcher Mike Mimbs
Mimbs went 12-19 with a 5.03 ERA in 73 appearances (37 starts) from 1995-97 with the Phillies.
1992: Blue Jays pitcher Graeme Lloyd
One day after they selected him in the Rule 5 Draft, the Phillies traded him to the Brewers for pitcher John Trisler, who never appeared in the big leagues. Lloyd made 568 appearances over a 10-year career with the Brewers, Yankees, Expos, Royals, Mets, Marlins and Blue Jays.
1991: Orioles catcher Todd Pratt
The Phillies gave Pratt an opportunity and he turned it into a 14-year career. He played for the Phillies from 1992-94 and again from 2001-05. In his career, he batted .251 with 49 home runs, 224 RBIs and a .741 OPS with the Phillies, Cubs, Mets and Braves.
1989: Padres infielder Dave Hollins
Hollins is one of the Phillies¡¯ best Rule 5 Draft success stories. He batted just .184 in 127 appearances as a rookie in 1990, but he developed into an All-Star and key cog in the Phillies¡¯ '93 NL championship team. Hollins battled .270 with 27 home runs, 93 RBIs and an .839 OPS in '92, finishing 20th in NL MVP Award voting. He battled .273 with 18 home runs, 93 RBIs and an .814 OPS in '93, making the All-Star team. The Phillies traded Hollins to the Red Sox in '95. He returned to play 14 games with the Phillies to finish his career in 2002.
1989: Blue Jays outfielder Sil Campusano
Campusano slashed .183/.233/.283 with three home runs in 130 plate appearances with the Phillies from 1990-91.
1988: Expos pitcher Jeff Tabaka
Tabaka pitched in the Phillies¡¯ farm system from 1989 until they released him in July 1991. He went 6-5 with a 4.31 ERA in 139 appearances over six seasons with the Padres, Pirates, Astros, Reds and Cardinals from '94-2001.
1984: Mets pitcher Ed Olwine
He did not make the team coming out of camp and returned to the Mets. He went 0-1 with a 4.52 ERA in 80 career appearances over three seasons with the Braves from 1986-88.
1983: Mets pitcher Jay Tibbs
He also did not make the Phillies out of Spring Training and returned to the Mets. Tibbs went 39-54 with a 4.20 ERA in 158 appearances (133 starts) over seven seasons with the Reds, Expos, Orioles and Pirates from 1984-90.
1979: Red Sox pitcher Burke Suter
Suter spent two seasons with the Phillies¡¯ Triple-A Oklahoma City affiliate in 1980-81, but he never pitched in organized baseball again.
1973: Reds infielder Ed Crosby
He never played for the Phillies, but he posted a .547 OPS in 750 career plate appearances over six seasons with the Cardinals, Reds and Tribe from 1970-76.