LAKELAND, – MARCH 16: Mick Abel #25 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on prior to the 2024 Spring Breakout Game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Tuesday was the deadline for teams to add eligible prospects to their 40-man rosters to protect them from December's Rule 5 draft and the Phillies added three: right-handed pitchers Mick Abel, Moises Chace and Jean Cabrera.
Abel, the Phils' first-round pick in 2020 out of high school, has not progressed as quickly as they'd have hoped. His focus in 2024 was to throw more strikes but he went 3-12 with a 6.46 ERA at Triple A, walking a career-high 78 batters in 108⅔ innings and spending time on the development list in August.
Still, Abel is 23 years old and has too much potential for the Phillies to simply give up on him this early. If they left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft, he'd likely have been claimed. The 2025 season will be crucial as he hopes to show the Phillies he can be a piece of their future.
Players become eligible for the Rule 5 draft if they're signed at 18 years old or younger and not added to their team's 40-man roster within five seasons, or if they're signed at 19 or older and not added to the 40-man within four seasons.
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Chace originally signed with the Orioles as a 16-year-old in 2019. The Phillies acquired him at this year's trade deadline for reliever Gregory Soto and he was productive immediately with a 2.59 ERA and 0.86 ERA to earn the Phillies' co-Pitcher of the Month honor in August. Chace ended the season by striking out 35 in 19⅔ innings with Double A Reading, including back-to-back outings with double-digit Ks.
Cabrera, the Phillies' No. 13-ranked prospect per MLB.com, signed with them for $10,000 in 2019 at age 17. He struck out 10 over six no-hit innings on July 4 for High-A Jersey Shore, where he posted a 3.39 ERA in 14 starts. Cabrera earned a late-season promotion to Reading and pitched well in three of five starts.
Phillies prospects not protected from the Rule 5 draft include right-handers Griff McGarry, a hard-throwing righty who's battled control issues throughout his minor-league career, and Eiberson Castellano, who struck out 136 batters in 103⅔ innings this season at High A and Double A.
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There are 39 players on the Phils' 40-man roster. They removed one, outrighting recent waiver claim right-hander John McMillon to Triple A.
The Rule 5 draft takes place the morning of Wednesday, December 11 in Dallas to conclude MLB's Winter Meetings.
