Red Sox pitching prospect Brendan Cellucci talks about the possibility of being selected in the Rule 5 draft; 'This game is unpredictable'
The MLB Rule 5 Draft will take place during the Winter Meetings on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Players from all over the league left off the 40-man roster for various reasons will be available and the Red Sox will have some interesting names that could be drafted.
One player that was recently pointed out by Baseball America as a potential draft candidate is Red Sox minor league left-hander Brendan Cellucci.
The southpaw has predominantly been a reliever while in the Red Sox system. He owns a career 4.92 ERA while posting a 7-9 record with 224 strikeouts and a 1.69 WHIP in 126 minor league games.
As the Rule 5 Draft approaches, Cellucci is only focusing on what he can control.
“This game is unpredictable,” said Cellucci on the “To the Show We Go” podcast in October. “I knew what I was getting into. It's a business. I know that I'm a reliever, a left handed reliever, too. So obviously, it’s like I said, it's unpredictable relievers bounced around all the time.”
Cellucci has not pitched above the Double-A level but is a candidate to impact Triple-A Worcester in 2024. The Red Sox lack left-handed relief depth in the organization, especially at the upper levels.
Cellucci being named a potential Rule 5 pick is interesting, considering he has not yet pitched above Double-A, teams are looking for controllable assets anywhere they can find them. The lefty projects as a reliever at the big league level. He’s flashed brilliance on the mound, specifically when he throws his slider. His primary pitch offers a unique combination of both velocity and sweep, sitting at 85-86 mph.
In addition to his slider, Cellucci offers a cutter and sinker. He is more of a ground ball pitcher and can get some swing and misses on his pitches, last season, he owned a 26.1% strikeout percent, per FanGraphs, but take into account he only pitched in 37 games, his second lowest total of games of his career.
“I love this organization. I don't want to go anywhere. But all I want to do is obviously put all the work. I have to be the best baseball player I can be and whatever. Like a lot of things are out of your control, and if the things that are out of my control and impact my career, I'm not going to let it impact who I am, you know, I mean, but at the end of the day, I dreamed of being a Boston Red Sox since I was like a young kid.
“I want to be a Boston Red Sox for as long as I can,” said Cellucci.
The Philadelphia native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 12th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of Tulane University. His first full season of pro ball was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
He is not considered a top prospect within the system, but the left-hander has shown the ability to get swing and misses in the past. The fact that he is a lefty will have appeal to rebuilding teams looking for a controllable pitcher heading into 2024.
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