The Phillies have a number of options for outfielders in this year’s MLB Winter Meetings Rule 5 Draft.
The Rule 5 Draft is scheduled for December 6th, and the MLB Winter Meetings started on December 4th in Nashville, Tennessee. There will be no shortage of outfield options for the Philadelphia Phillies, who will have the 24th pick.
Noah Song of the Boston Red Sox was chosen by Philadelphia in the previous year’s Rule 5 Draft. Song had little minor league experience and had been in the military. He was designated for assignment by the Phillies at the end of the previous season in July. As per league regulations, they returned him back to Boston after he was left unclaimed on waivers.
In the Rule 5 Draft, which outfielders might the Phillies select? These are a few options that you might want to think about.
Wilfred Veras, White Sox of Chicago
There is a history of Major League players in Wilfred Veras’s family. His father, Wilton, was a short-lived player for the Boston Red Sox, starting at third base from 1999 to 2000. He played for a while for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Red Sox in their minor league systems.
Fernando Tatis, Sr., a former third baseman, is the uncle of the young outfielder. The Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Mets were among the teams the former infielder played for. Veras is the cousin of Fernando Tatis, Jr., the shortstop/right fielder for the San Diego Padres.
Veras, who is 21 years old and ranked No. 21 in the Chicago White Sox minor league system, played for the Winston-Salem Dash in High-A during the previous season. In 92 games for Winston-Salem, he had a slash line of.277/.316/.438 and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of.754. In the end, he had 63 RBI, 11 home runs, and 25 doubles.
For a second straight year, he also played for the Birmingham Barons in Double-A. Veras participated in 12 games for Birmingham in 2022 and finished with a slash line of.267/.313/.533 and an OPS of.846. He finished with a.309/.346/.533 line, 14 doubles, 6 home runs, and 30 RBI in 38 games with the Barons this season.
Veras is expected to sign with the Majors sometime in 2025. Owing to his increased game action at Double-A last season, he might start the following season there and spend a good portion of it with the Barons before making his Triple-A debut by the end of 2024.
Hudson Haskin, Baltimore Orioles
The No. 17 prospect in the Baltimore Orioles’ system, Hudson Haskin, is a member of a strong farm system. The 24-year-old played for the Norfolk Tides, Bowie Baysox, and Aberdeen Ironbirds in the 2022 season. Due to a hamstring injury and surgery to correct a hip impingement, he only participated in 33 games in 2023.
In 2022, he was effective at Double-A for the BaySox. Haskin played in 109 games and finished with a .264/.367/.455 line and a .822 OPS. His development was halted due to the injuries he sustained this year, so he is hoping for a healthier and more productive season in 2024.
Justin Dirden, Houston Astros
Justin Dirden, ranked No. 14 in the Houston Astros farm system, played for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys in Triple-A during the entire previous season. He started the 2022 season with the Corpus Christi Hooks, Houston’s Double-A team, and ended it with the Space Cowboys.
With the Hooks in 2022, Dirden performed remarkably well; in 92 games, he had a slash line of.324/.411/.616, an OPS of 1.027, 32 doubles, 20 home runs, and 73 RBI. With the Space Cowboys at the end of the season, the 6-foot-3 outfielder finished with a.242/.305/.398 line, an OPS of.703, eight doubles, four home runs, and 28 RBI in 32 games.
In 84 games this season with Sugar Land, Dirden’s slash line was.231/.314/.396 with an OPS of.710. He also had 12 doubles, 10 home runs, and 42 RBI. Playing all outfield positions, the 26-year-old missed some time in 2023 due to a hamstring injury.
Alberto Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
The 2023 campaign for the Seattle Mariners prospect, who started the year in High-A with the Everett AquaSox, was strong. The No. 18 prospect in Seattle, Alberto Rodriguez, appeared in 72 games for the team and posted a.306/.393/.580 line with 30 doubles, 11 home runs, and 58 RBI.
After playing 46 games with the Arkansas Travelers in Double-A, he concluded 2023 there. With a slash line of.291/.361/.385, eight doubles, three home runs, and 27 RBI, Rodriguez’s OPS was.746. Because of his offensive skills, he can play both left and right field and is valuable as a designated hitter.
Grant McCray, San Francisco Giants
The soon-to-be 23-year-old outfielder is another player who could be selected in the Rule 5 Draft, according to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com.
In 106 games, Grant McCray finished with a.908 OPS and a.291/.383/.525 line for the San Jose Giants (Single-A) in 2022. He played for the Eugene Emeralds (High-A) for 14 games, posting an OPS of.810 and a slash line of.269/.387/.423.
McCray played 127 games for the Emeralds this season, posting a.255/.360/.417 line and a.777 OPS. Mayo points out that although the outfielder’s 29.3 percent strikeout rate in 2023 might keep him from being selected, his 37 home runs and 95 steals since 2022 might help him get picked.
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