The Phillies lose four pitchers in the Rule 5 Draft, but none are top prospects

Four Phillies prospects were taken during the Minor League phase of the 2023 Rule 5 Draft and will join new teams this season.

During the annual MLB Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday night, nine players from the Philadelphia Phillies organization changed hands, including four departures during the Minor League phase.

Carlos De La Cruz, the Phillies’ No. 6 prospect, was rumored to be among the names taken in the draft. Fortunately, this was not the case. None of the four players taken were ranked in the Phillies’ top 30 prospects and are no longer ranked in the top 30 prospects from the clubs to whom they were drafted.

While there have been some exceptional Rule 5 Draft picks in the last decade, such as Mark Canha and Anthony Santander, it’s unlikely that these young minor leaguers will make an impact on the Major League team in the coming years. With the extra 40-man roster spaces available, the Phillies can continue to add to their championship-hopeful team while on a win-now mission.

The Phillies lost four pitchers, two of whom were left-handers and two of whom were right-handers. The Phillies’ minor league choices were made by the Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, and Houston Astros.

Rafael Marcano, LHP (MIN), starts the first round.

The Phillies’ minor league Pitcher of the Month in August pitched to a 3.95 ERA over 93 1/3 innings in 2023 for the High-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws. The 23-year-old, originally from Venezuela, showed some impressive strikeout stuff, fanning 97 batters for a 9.4 SO/9 rate. During his five seasons in the Phillies system, Marcano posted a 4.08 ERA with 11 wins and 20 losses but always brought energy to the dugout.

Keylan Killgore, LHP (KCR), wins round two.

One of the best baseball names in the league right now, Killgore had a good bit of hype when drafted in the 17th round from Wichita State in 2018. The former college teammate of Alec Bohm struggled with Reading in 2023, posting a 5.20 ERA across 55 innings. The 27-year-old has been known for his strikeout stuff and nasty change-up, but it is obvious his command is holding him back, collecting a 4.6 BB/9 and a 1.572 WHIP.

Carlos Betancourt, RHP (HOU), Round 2.

Another young pitcher from Venezuela, Betancourt has spent all five seasons bouncing between rookie ball and High-A Jersey Shore. Across all leagues, he has pitched well, pitching to a 3.62 ERA over 171 1/3 innings and striking out 186. In 2023, Marcano collected the most innings of his career (78) but had never reached more than 45 in any other season beforehand. The 22-year-old is still very much a project player but could be an effective reliever in a few years for an organization that can develop.

Blake Brown, RHP (TBR), Round 3

The 25-year-old, who has not pitched since 2021 while battling a flurry of injuries, has only collected 41 minor league innings between High-A and Double-A with the Phillies. In his 40 innings, however, Brown posted a 3.07 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 36 walks. It is hard to tell how a pitcher will bounce back after not pitching professionally in over two years, but it’s tough to doubt what they are doing in Tampa given their recent track record for developing pitching.