Hey, you want more news? Here’s some good news. The MLB Rule 5 Draft has been completed, and the Pittsburgh Pirates have added five players to their cupboard on December 10, one of them via trade.
They
selected right-handed pitcher Colin Baumler from the Baltimore Orioles, but they flipped him to the Texas Rangers for for right-handed pitcher Jaiker Garcia and, in true Bob Nutting fashion, cash considerations.
Last year in the Arizona Complex League (ACL) in 2025, he pitched as a reliever and had 18 appearances, a 4.66 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, to go along with a 3-3 record with a .282 batting average allowed. He’s now playing in Venezuala with Jhostynxon Garcia. He’s currently rocking a 0.77 ERA in the VWL.
The Bucs also picked up right-handed pitcher Junior Flores, who pitched in Single-A last year with a 3.38 ERA. They also got Kyle Larsen, a righty formerly of the Texas Rangers, and he pitched in High-A last season with a 4.09 ERA. Brian Mena is the third righty they picked up, and he originally signed with the Colorado Rockies at age 16, and he pitched out of Single-A last season with a 5.62 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP.
Brandon Neek was the only lefty in the bunch, and he was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished last season in Double-A with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP.
The Bucs lost righty Jack Carey, who has been with the Bucs system since being drafted in 2021. He played for High-A last year and had a 3.62 ERA and 1.19 WHIP.
So the Bucs added five and lost one during the Rule 5 draft this year. Tell us in the comments if you know anything about the guys that they picked and if you think Greensboro will miss Carey.
