ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Last year, the St. Louis Cardinals used the Rule 5 Draft to select reliever Ryan Fernandez, who would become a crucial piece in the Cardinals bullpen in 2024.
This year, the Cardinals passed on selecting a player in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft, but the club was active in the minor league portion of the draft.
In the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft, the Cardinals used their four picks picks to select right-handed reliever Angel Gonzalez out of the Chicago Cubs High A+ roster, left-handed reliever Oddanier Mosqueda out of the New York Yankees Triple-A roster, right-handed pitcher Jawilme Ramirez out of the New York Mets High-A roster, and outfielder Miguel Ugueto out of the Boston Red Sox High-A roster.
Gonzalez, 22, had been a part of the Cubs farm system since 2021. This past season, Gonzalez posted a 7.94 ERA in 33 games for the Cubs High A+ affiliate South Bend Cubs, allowing 44 total runs in 45 1/3 innings and struck out 57 batters to walking 42 batters.
Mosqueda, 25, spent all of 2024 with the Yankees Triple-A affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Mosqueda posted a 4.39 ERA in 55 games, striking out 88 batters and walking 37 in 67 2/3 innings, while allowing 38 total runs.
Ramirez, 23, spent most of 2024 with the Mets High A+ affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones, but did get a brief outing with the Mets Triple A affiliate in Syracuse. Overall, Ramirez posted a 3.58 ERA in 30 games, six of them being starts all in Brooklyn. Ramirez allowed 30 runs and struck out 61 batters and walked 37 in 73 total innings.
Ugueto, 22, played for the Red Sox High A+ affiliate Greenville Drive for the second consecutive season. This past season, Ugueto slashed a .242/.273/.377 slash line, an OPS of .650 and smashed four home runs, collected 28 RBIs and stole seven bases.
The 2024 Rule 5 Draft did leave a dent on the Cardinals farm system, with seven players being selected by opposing teams during both portions of the draft.
In the major league portion of the Rule 5 Draft, the Milwaukee Brewers selected left-handed reliever Conner Thomas. Thomas, who was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2019 Draft, posted a 2.89 ERA this past season with the Cardinals Triple-A affiliate Memphis Redbirds.
Thomas must stay on the Brewers major league roster for the entire season, or be offered back to the Cardinals for $50,000 if he doesn't.
In the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft, the Cardinals lost right-handed reliever Henry Gomez to the Athletics, right-handed starter Trent Baker to the Minnesota Twins, catcher Aaron McKeithan to the Pittsburgh Pirates, right-handed pitcher Brandon Komar to the Cincinnati Reds, right-handed pitcher Augusto Calderon to the Philadelphia Phillies and shortstop Lizandro Espinoza to the Atlanta Braves.
Among Cardinals prospects who were eligible for the Rule 5 Draft who were not selected included pitchers Ian Bedell, Darlin Saladin and Inohan Paniagua, infielders Jeremy Rivas and Noah Mendlinger, and outfielder Mike Antico.