Pitchers dominate Rule 5 draft, comprising 11 of 15 unprotected players picked in big league phase
Jeff Pfeifer, at podium, MLB vice president of baseball operations, listens to a pick made by a San Diego Padres representative, standing right, during the Rule 5 Draft at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Dallas, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Tony Gutierrez]
DALLAS (AP) — Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, comprising 11 of the 15 unprotected players who were picked. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick and selected 24-year-old right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest when he was signed by Milwaukee in July 2021. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder has gone 13-7 with a 2.69 ERA and 203 strikeouts over 157 innings in 19 starts and 54 relief appearances over three minor league seasons.
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Jeff Pfeifer, left on video screen, MLB vice president of baseball operations, listens to the pick made by a representative of the Atlanta Braves, right, on screen, during the Rule 5 Draft at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Dallas, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Tony Gutierrez