Rule 5 Draft Results; Hip, Hip Jose!

The Houston Astros drafted two right-handed starters today in the Rule 5 Draft.

The first, Aneury Rodriguez, was taken with the 8^th overall pick from the Tampa Bay Rays. Rodriguez began his career with the Rockies before going to Tampa. He will be 23 in 2011. In 2010, he made 29 appearances (19 starts) with a 3.71 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 7.3 K/9, and 1.96 K:BB.

With the 17^th overall pick, the Astros took Lance Pendleton from the New York Yankees. Pendleton was previously a 4^th round pick by the Yankees in the 2005 first-year player draft. Last year, between Double and Triple-A, Pendleton made 29 appearances, including 27 starts, and posted a 3.61 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 7.7 K/9, and 2.33 K:BB. He’ll be 27 next season and like Rodriguez, has yet to appear in a major league game.

However, the Rule 5 draft did not represent a one-sided opportunity for the Astros as pitcher Jeiler Castillo was taken by Oakland in the Triple-A phase of the draft. Castillo will be 23 next season has yet to pitch above Low-A so the loss doesn’t seem too significant. Through 5 years in the lower minors, Castillo has a 3.89 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and just 127 strikeouts in 201.1 innings. His 5.7 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 make for a 1.67 K:BB and absolutely no major-league projectable talent.

Rodriguez and Pendleton were both drafted to compete for the Astros 5^th starter job next year in spring training. In what has already become a crowded stable of dice-rolls, the two picks will join Nelson Figueroa, Ryan Rowland-Smith, phenom Jordan Lyles, and possibly even Wesley Wright.

My favorite news of this draft is having Jose Altuve back in Houston’s system. I’m not going to say too much about him as those of you have read my work are all-too-familiar with my blind love for the pint-sized middle infielder. Atleast I can rest easy tonight dreaming of Altuve hitting homeruns, stealing bases, and making diving stops on the right side of the infield in Houston someday as I slowly drift into sweet slumber….