Latest news with #Rule5
Boston Globe
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
‘It's been a long road': Noah Song, Red Sox prospect, is finally beginning his journey as a pro
Advertisement Reports on Song's progress are intriguing. The 6-foot-4-inch righty — who is being developed as a multi-innings reliever — has touched 97 miles per hour in live batting practice sessions against teammates while showing a wide-ranging arsenal that includes a splitter, curveball, slider/cutter. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'His stuff is electric,' said fellow Tommy John rehabber Chris Murphy, who was Song's teammate with the Lowell Spinners in the summer of 2019. 'When he's on, it's vintage Noah.' It's been a long time since the introduction — or last sightings — of 'vintage Noah.' Song's path has been unusual and challenging. At the Naval Academy, he emerged as arguably the top college pitcher in the country as a senior in 2019, going 11-1 with a 1.44 ERA. Advertisement He was a first-round talent who looked like a potential fast-moving, mid-rotation starter, but he slid to the Sox in the fourth round of the draft that year because of uncertainty about his ability to pursue a career given his military service obligations. He dazzled in the summer of 2019 in Lowell, but without any idea of whether he'd be able to continue his career. Song sought a waiver from the Navy in order to both pitch and serve his country, but when that process stalled, But the Phillies selected Red Song from the Sox in the Rule 5 draft — which came with a commitment to keep him on the big league roster all year or else return him to the Sox — in December 2022, and a couple months later, the Navy granted him a waiver to pursue his career. After years without pitching, however, Song was almost rebuilding from scratch — and not ready to compete in the big leagues. After he'd been kept on the injured list for months leading up to a brief minor league rehab assignment, the Phillies returned Song to the Sox in August. He appeared in seven games for High-A Greenville, but his results and stuff were modest (4.15 ERA, 16 percent strikeout rate, 11 percent walk rate). In a vacuum, what Song showed might not have been good enough to secure a continued spot in the system. However, the Sox didn't want to ignore what Song had been at the start of his pro career — when he'd featured a four-seam fastball at up to 98 m.p.h. that was the anchor of a four-pitch mix that he commanded — or who he was. Advertisement If there was even a possibility that Song could reclaim some of his prior potential, the Sox trusted he would do everything to realize it. 'He really hasn't had a normal development path … His is certainly unique. [But] as an organization, you want to see things through,' said farm director Brian Abraham. 'You put bets on people, too — not just the player. And I think that's what we wanted to do with Noah. The character, the work ethic, on top of the potential to have upper-levels stuff and hopefully major league stuff at some point, I think led us to a point where we want to take a chance on the kid.' Song spent most of the offseason of 2023-24 in Fort Myers, Fla., with a clear uptick in stuff by the spring of 2024. For the first time, he was ready to have a professional season with a full, healthy offseason as a foundation. But a torn ulnar collateral ligament in the spring of 2024 prevented that from happening. Song required Tommy John surgery. He acknowledges questioning whether he'd continue his career based on his age and the gap between his stuff before and after his time as an aviator. 'I'd be lying if I say there wasn't [uncertainty],' said Song. 'But right before [the ligament] did go, started to feel like they were clicking a little bit better mechanically. And I guess that was kind of enough to push me along. I felt like I would be squandering that if I didn't try my best and take advantage of it.' Advertisement Song also didn't want to ignore the opportunity that had been afforded him by the Navy. The waiver of full-time military service before he'd completed five years (he's currently a reservist, with the Navy working with him on a flexible schedule) represented an extraordinary opportunity that he wanted to honor. In Phillies spring training in 2023, Song was admittedly uncomfortable. He struggled with the question of whether he should be in baseball while friends with whom he'd trained were serving the country. He also felt out of place in big league camp (a product of his Rule 5 status) given that he hadn't earned a spot there through his performance. But through 2023 and '24, Song learned to accept his opportunity — and was driven to pursue it to the best of his abilities. That commitment helped propel him through the rehab process. 'I was very proud of my time in the Navy. I was very willing to continue serving if they felt that that was what I should be doing,' said Song. 'The fact that [the Navy] said, 'Yes, go and do this. We want you to go and play,' that is what really kind of gave me the peace of mind. 'I try to live an honorable life and honorable career. And I feel like by them doing that, it helped me kind of just go all-in with baseball. I think that's part of the reason that I was willing to come back to this rehab process and go through an injury and everything, because in my mind I still have that little bit that I want to make them proud and show them that they didn't just let me go for nothing.' Advertisement And so, Song attacked Rehab with discipline and determination. 'He's an animal, creature of habit, robot — however you want to call it — in all the best ways,' said Murphy. While 'I'm trying to make him aware, 'I've seen big league arms in person. You're not far off of those guys right now,' ' said Murphy. 'It's so hard to put yourself in his shoes … Getting the game you play taken from you [by military service], and then you come back and you're like, 'I'm doing it again,' and then you get it ripped from you again [by injury], that sucks. I don't know if I would had the mental fortitude to do that. 'But for him, I think he's still chasing that, which is awesome. I want him to chase it. I want him to believe he can pitch in big leagues, because I know he can.' The Sox, too, see Song tapping into some of the gifts that were evident a half-dozen years ago, while respecting that he has changed as a person and pitcher since 2019. 'I definitely think there's still flashes of the guy where you're like, 'Wow. This is why the guy was selected where he was, and why we spent so much time [with] Noah.' But I also think he's a different version of himself now,' said Abraham. 'To compare him to that version of himself is a little unfair. I like to think of him having an opportunity to be Noah Song 2.0 in a lot of ways — to re-create his story, his career, to see what he can do.' Advertisement Tuesday in Sarasota, Fla., will represent a milestone. For the first time, Song will take the mound in an official game with both a foundation as a pitcher under him and a future that will be defined by his abilities and commitment in front of him. Finally, Song will get to find out who he can become. 'I've been looking forward to it,' said Song. 'Every night when my head hits the pillow, it's what I'm thinking about, and what I'm pretty excited for.' Alex Speier can be reached at
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees' first base prospect is quietly having a breakout season
The New York Yankees will likely be buyers at this year's trade deadline, which means they'll need prospects to trade for upgrades. Ideally, they can avoid trading their best talent in the farm system, and one of the ways they can avoid that is by trading prospects who are close to the big leagues and can provide an immediate impact to an awful roster. One of the players who could find themselves on the trade block this summer is first base prospect T.J. Rumfield, who was Rule 5 eligible last season but went undrafted, leaving him in the Yankees' organization. After struggling to hit for much power last season, Rumfield has looked much better at the plate this season, hitting home runs at a higher rate than last year while making a ton of contact and getting on base more. With the Yankees' logjam at first base and DH this season, they could use Rumfield as trade bait or depth in case of an injury, and his stock has climbed significantly as a result of key changes made at the plate. T.J. Rumfield Could Be An Important Part of the Yankees' Summer Plans Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Standing at a towering 6'5, T.J. Rumfield has been in the Yankees' farm system since 2022, being acquired from the Phillies for Nick Nelson after the 2021 season. He's always run low strikeout rates while walking a lot, but his ability to do damage on contact has lagged behind despite his tall frame. As a first baseman, there's far more pressure on his bat in order for him to project long-term as a starter in the big leagues, but this year he's seemed to figure out the game power. Advertisement He still isn't barrelling the ball a ton, but he's pulling the ball in the air consistently, resulting in a .202 ISO and .513 SLG% through 33 games. Rumfield's ability to pull the ball to right field should play well at Yankee Stadium, and if the Yankees were to suffer a myriad of injuries at first base and DH, they could promote him and get some solid at-bats with a steady glove. Without a swarm of injuries, there won't be much playing time for T.J. Rumfield to grab in the Major Leagues, which leads me to wonder whether the Yankees will trade him or not this summer. If they choose to hold onto him, they'll either have to roster him on their 40-man or choose to let him go into the Rule 5 draft unprotected, where he will likely be plucked by a team looking to add some cheap depth to the first base position. He's had a strong campaign with the Scranton RailRiders thus far, slashing .304/.401/.513 with a 148 wRC+ across 33 games, and that could lead to him helping the Yankees land an impactful piece this deadline. ALSO READ: Yankees' standout starter is completely covering up the loss of Gerrit Cole Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images T.J. Rumfield is similar to someone like Ben Cowles and Hoy Park, both of whom performed well in the upper levels of the Minor Leagues before being traded for relievers. Mark Leiter Jr. was brought in for Cowles and reliever Jack Neely, while Park was packaged with Diego Castillo for Clay Holmes, deals that made important upgrades to the bullpen. The Yankees could also use Rumfield as a sweetener in a bigger deal, providing a rebuilding team with a steady presence at first base. Advertisement Steamer projects a 94 wRC+ for Rumfield's median outcome, and some teams could project more of a league-average bat at the Major League level. That might sound underwhelming, but with the strong glove at first base, that would serve as an upgrade for a lot of teams who might sell at the deadline. He may not be their franchise cornerstone there, but getting six cheap years of decent production at first base will be enticing enough for teams who could use help there. This season, Rumfield ranks in the 97th Percentile in Pulled Flyball%, the 71st Percentile in Damage%, and the 80th Percentile in Zone Contact%. The blend of raw power and contact should be enough to provide a formidable at-bat as soon as he's promoted, and without much room for him to get a promotion to the big leagues with the Yankees, a trade could benefit both parties here. Related Headlines
New York Post
11-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Oswald Peraza belts homer with future roster spot in doubt: ‘special moment'
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Twice, unprompted, Oswald Peraza said he is enjoying being a Yankee. The young infielder wants to remain in pinstripes and knows that he must perform to ensure he will continue to be a part of the team. Peraza performed Saturday, when he smacked his second home run of the season — a two-run shot that briefly gave the Yankees the lead in the sixth inning — in what became an elements-affected 11-7 loss to the A's at Sutter Health Park. In what had been a tie game, Peraza teed off on a sweeper from righty Justin Sterner, pulling it down the left field line and clearing the wall. With DJ LeMahieu due back as soon as Monday in Seattle, Peraza's spot on the roster has seemed in question. If this home run meant a bit more to him, it showed: He looked toward the dugout, slammed his bat to the dirt and pumped his fist on the way to first base. 'Definitely a special moment there,' Peraza said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. 'Like I said, I'm really enjoying being part of this team and finding a way just to stay ready. The opportunities, you want to be ready for when they come.' 4 Oswald Peraza rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run in the sixth inning of the Yankees' 11-7 loss to the A's on May 10, 2025. Dennis Lee-Imagn Images There have not been a ton of opportunities for Peraza, who also has not run with the ones he has been given. His 1-for-3 day bumped his average to .205 and OPS to .657, typically playing third base against lefties while Oswaldo Cabrera has gotten the reps against righties. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS 'He obviously hasn't played a ton, but I feel like his at-bats have really improved from the start of the season,' manager Aaron Boone said. When LeMahieu returns, the Yankees could create roster room by DFA'ing Peraza or Pablo Reyes or optioning Jorbit Vivas. 4 A leaping Oswald Peraza celebrates with Jasson Dominguez after hitting a two-run homer in the sixth inning of the Yankees' loss to the A's. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Perhaps Peraza can build upon an encouraging swing — but doing so is difficult because the Yankees are expected to see a slew of righty starters in the next week. 'Definitely some difficulties finding a way to stay ready,' Peraza acknowledged. 'But at the same time, I'm also enjoying the opportunity and being here, finding ways to prepare yourself and stay ready. … Definitely enjoying being here and being part of this team.' All around the A's clubhouse are Yankees reminders. In one corner are the lockers, in order, of Luis Severino, Miguel Andujar and Gio Urshela. A bit farther down sits Mitch Spence, a Rule 5 pick taken from the Yankees in December 2023. Injured former top Yankees prospects Luis Medina and Ken Waldichuk own lockers, and across the room is JP Sears, who came up through the Yankees system and debuted in pinstripes in 2022. 4 Former Bomber JP Sears delivers a pitch during the first inning of the Yankees' loss to the A's. Getty Images Sears, part of the Frankie Montas trade at the 2022 trade deadline, might be a regret of Brian Cashman's, having established himself in the A's rotation and allowing one run over five innings Saturday. Sears has fond memories of his time with the Yankees — including a snapshot of Aaron Judge's behind-the-scenes leadership. The lefty pitched well enough in spring training 2022 to crack the Opening Day roster for what would be his major league debut. Two days after he learned he would break camp with the team, he got a text from Judge. 'Hey, if you're not busy, I got a reservation for you and your family at Don Angie's,' Judge told Sears. 4 JP Sears throwing a pitch while with the Yankees in 2022. for the NY POST He wasn't busy. After flying from Tampa to New York ahead of the start of the regular season, Sears and his parents went to dinner at the West Village spot at which reservations are hard to come by — unless you know the captain of the Yankees. Sears and his family simply showed up and did not have to plan any of the details. At the end of the meal, Judge arrived, introduced himself to Sears' parents and paid for the dinner. 'It seems like he's always been the person he says he's going to be,' Sears said. The Yankees transferred the rehab assignment of righty Scott Effross from the FCL Yankees to Double-A Somerset. The Yankees have not named a starting pitcher for Sunday's series finale, needing a fifth starter after Carlos Carrasco was DFA'd and wanting Clarke Schmidt to receive an extra day of rest before pitching Monday. Boone said Ryan Yarbrough likely would 'figure in some way, shape or form,' meaning the bullpen length option could start or could log innings as a bulk reliever. The odd man out of the starting lineup Saturday: Ben Rice, who sat against the lefty Sears. Judge moved to DH, Trent Grisham started in center field, Cody Bellinger played right and Jasson Domínguez remained in the lineup against a southpaw after his three-homer game Friday. Rice pinch hit in the eighth and struck out against Mason Miller. 'I've kind of looked at it as a way to keep these guys fresh, too,' Boone said. 'But they're all playing pretty much all the time. So far I feel like it's worked well.'
Chicago Tribune
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago White Sox acquire infielder Gage Workman from the Cubs for cash considerations
Cubs President Jed Hoyer and White Sox general manager Chris Getz are good friends who just happen to be connected by their roles running Chicago's Major League Baseball teams. Getz is currently trying to execute a rebuild on the South Side, while Hoyer successfully pulled one off in the 2010s on the North Side with former President Theo Epstein. Getz said in spring training that he wouldn't hesitate in dealing with the Cubs, even as Cubs-Sox trades usually carry some risk because of the animosity between the fan bases. 'There's different ways to look at it,' Getz told the Tribune. 'If we execute a high-level trade, you're taking some of their future away potentially. If there's a move there that's an obvious move for us, we're going to do it. I'm not scared to pick up the phone and call Jed.' So that's what Getz did. The two North Shore residents pulled off a minor deal Saturday, with Hoyer sending 25-year-old infielder Gage Workman to the Sox for cash considerations. Workman, a Rule 5 selection from the Detroit Tigers, had been designated for assignment by the Cubs after hitting .214 (3-for-14) with two RBIs in nine games. The Sox designated infielder Nick Maton for assignment after acquiring Workman. The Workman deal wasn't exactly a move that would push the Bears' draft news off the front page, but it filled a need for the Sox, who've struggled offensively, particularly at shortstop and at third and first base. They were hitting a major league-worst .205 entering Saturday's game against the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif., and also were at the bottom of the majors in runs scored (83) and OPS (.596). Workman had only four starts at third base for the Cubs and committed two errors. A poor defensive play at third last week on a grounder helped fuel the Arizona Diamondbacks' 10-run inning in the Cubs' 13-11 win, and an error Tuesday in an 11-10 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers likely contributed to the Cubs' decision to part ways with Workman. He also played five innings at shortstop, where he'll probably get most of his playing time with the Sox. 'I think Gage was in a tough spot,' Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Saturday. 'Rule 5 picks are always in a tough spot, especially on this team, kind of the expectations of this team. In a lot of ways you can say he did not get the appropriate opportunity. We couldn't give him that opportunity.' The Cubs started the season with rookie Matt Shaw at third base, which led to few opportunities for Workman, who won a roster spot in spring training but garnered only 14 at-bats in the first month of the season. The Cubs signed former Sox infielder Nicky Lopez after DFAing Workman and currently are auditioning different players at third, with Jon Berti getting another start Saturday. 'My hope is that we'll probably have a little bit of a revolving door there for a bit,' Hoyer said. 'But while we play matchups, I'd love it if one of these guys gets hot and grabs more of the playing time.' Meanwhile, Getz's rebuild is off to a rocky start, to say the least. The Sox lost a major-league record 121 games last year and were 6-20 on Saturday, the second-worst record in baseball. They're on pace to finish 37-125, which would break last year's mark. Getz often has turned to Hoyer for advice on the rebuild and other matters. 'We've become friends and we talk baseball, but we also talk about life,' Getz said. 'He's referenced the 2013 and '14 years of the Cubs and some of the moves he felt like were very beneficial to their long-term growth, and maybe some things that they would've done differently. My relationship with him is very valuable, going through it my first time. To have someone in the neighborhood just to talk to is nice.' The Sox and Cubs haven't made a high-level deal since former general manager Rick Hahn acquired closer Craig Kimbrel for infielder Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer in 2021. That deal didn't work out particularly well for either team. Kimbrel struggled in a setup role with the Sox, while Madrigal and Heuer dealt with injuries and didn't last long in the Cubs organization. Epstein and Hoyer also dealt top prospects Eloy Jiménez and Dylan Cease to the Sox in 2017 for starter Jose Quintana. That deal led to the famous 'Thanks, Cubs!' call from former Sox broadcaster Jason Benetti after Jiménez's home run off Pedro Strop in a City Series win over the Cubs in 2019. But Jiménez failed to live up to his early hype, thanks to injuries, and the Sox dealt Cease to the San Diego Padres in 2024 spring training to acquire four prospects for the rebuild. After Drew Thorpe's season-ending Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, Steven Wilson is the only one of the four players acquired for Cease on the current Sox roster. Workman will presumably get more of a shot than he got with the Cubs, who are in win-now mode. 'I told him just because it wasn't a good experience doesn't mean it's not going to help you in your next experience,' Counsell said. 'Overall I think this was a good experience for him, but when you're delivering that message for him it's bad news. 'If he uses this experience in the right way it's going to make him a better baseball player and he's going to be a major-leaguer. I'm very confident he's going to be a major-leaguer after that conversation and I wish him the best. He's a good kid and he's got talent.'
Hamilton Spectator
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
White Sox acquire INF Gage Workman in a trade with the Cubs
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Chicago White Sox acquired infielder Gage Workman in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. The White Sox sent cash to the Cubs for Workman, who was designated for assignment on Wednesday. Infielder Nick Maton was designated for assignment by the South Siders to make room on their roster. 'Really excited about the athlete,' White Sox manager Will Venable said of Workman. 'Some pop on the left side of the plate, and excited to see what he can do. Some defensive versatility. So you can see him against some right hand pitching. You can see him come off the bench and run, come off the bench and play defense. So, yeah, excited to see what he can do.' Workman, 25, was a Rule 5 draft pick from Detroit in December. Under the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft, the players must stay on the big league roster all of next season or clear waivers and be offered back to their original organization for $50,000. Workman appeared in nine games with the NL Central-leading Cubs, going 3 for 14 with two RBIs. 'He was in a tough spot,' Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. 'I think Rule 5 picks are always in a tough spot, especially on this team, on kind of the expectations of this team. In a lot of ways you could say he did not get the appropriate opportunity. We couldn't give him that opportunity.' The White Sox were last in the AL Central with a 6-20 record heading into their game at the Athletics. Workman was selected by the Tigers in the fourth round of the 2020 amateur draft out of Arizona State. He hit .248 with 57 homers and 263 RBIs in the minor leagues. ___ AP MLB:
