Astros add a bat and arm during minor league phase of Rule 5 Draft

Jared Bloom

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Astros add a bat and arm during minor league phase of Rule 5 Draft image

The Houston Astros were one of the lucky teams to have a spot in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. They had the eighth overall pick, selecting Roddery Munoz, a RHP from the Cincinnati Reds. 

Munoz has bounced around over the last few years, playing for the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals. Now, he will look to make a name for himself with Houston and stick around longer than a year. 

That was the only major league phase pick that Houston had. The only team with two picks on Wednesday came from the Chicago White Sox, who selected Jedixson Paez from the Boston Red Sox and Alexander Alberto from the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Astros add a bat and arm during minor league phase of Rule 5 Draft

Now, we move on to the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. Here, the Astros made two picks, which could help Houston's farm system. 

With the 17th pick, Houston decided to take Trey McLoughlin, a right-handed pitcher from the New York Mets. He spent this past season split between Double-A and Triple-A, where he posted a 3.91 ERA across 23 innings of work out of the bullpen. He could become a fan favorite with his funky arm slot that keeps opposing hitters on their toes. 

A little later down the road, the Astros had another pick. Here, they went with outfielder Edwin Sanchez from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sanchez is considered to be elite when it comes to his plate discipline and could be a hidden gem later down the road. 

Sanchez will certainly be a project for Houston, as he has spent the last four seasons in the Dominican Summer League. While there is plenty of talent down there, it will be interesting to see how he does against the talent here in the United States.

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