Red Sox trade for reliever drafted in the Rule 5 draft
Red Sox trade for reliever drafted in the Rule 5 draft
The Red Sox passed on selecting a player during the Rule 5 draft, but they did trade for a pitcher who was selected earlier in the first round.
The Red Sox acquired right-handed reliever Justin Slaten from the Mets, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Ryan Ammons and cash, according to a team announcement on Wednesday.
The Mets had drafted Slaten from the Rangers as part of the Rule 5 draft. Due to being selected in the major league portion of the draft, the same Rule 5 regulations apply to the righty. He must stick on the Red Sox’ active roster or injured list, if hurt, for the entire 2024 season.
Slaten was added to the 40-man roster, which currently stands at 38.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said the right-hander was the team’s top target entering the draft.
“We’re really excited about bringing him on board,” Breslow said Thursday. “It was the marriage of the data, the raw pitch characteristics, the performance, the scouting group, everyone aligned. And with this budding pitching infrastructure, we were able to get additional perspectives. When there’s alignment across all of those groups, it makes for a fairly easy decision.
“He’s a guy with huge swing-and-miss stuff and profiles as a back of the back of the bullpen-type arm. So we’re really excited to get him here and see what he can do.”
The 26-year-old will have a real opportunity to make the Red Sox roster out of spring training. The former third-round pick posted a 2.87 ERA in 40 games (one start) split between Double-A and Triple-A in the Rangers’ organization last season. He allowed just one earned run in 8 1/3 innings (1.08 ERA) in five games at Triple-A after being promoted in mid-September.
Boston continues to add right-handed relief options for their bullpen. The Red Sox acquired Isaiah Campbell from the Mariners a week before Thanksgiving and will compete with Chris Martin, Kenley Jansen and John Schreiber in the bullpen. Other relievers like Zack Kelly, Nick Robertson and Greg Weissert, who was just acquired from the Yankees in the Alex Verdugo trade, are also options to make the big league roster.
Ammons was selected in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Clemson. The southpaw hasn't pitched professionally, he was injured when he was drafted and was shutdown by the Red Sox.
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