Braves add lefty reliever Evan Rutckyj in Rule 5 Draft
NASHVILLE — The Atlanta Braves continued their mining expedition in the New York Yankees farm system on the final day of the Winter Meetings, selecting left-handed reliever Evan Rutckyj with the third selection in MLB's Rule 5 Draft.
Atlanta's front office has expressed its desire to acquire lefty bullpen help throughout its time in Nashville — an effort to provide options heading into spring training alongside relievers Ian Krol, Matt Marksberry and Andrew McKirahan. The Braves paid a $50,000 claiming price for Rutckyj, but he must stick on the 25-man roster for the entire 2016 season or be offered back to New York for half the original cost.
Rutckyj, 23, boasts excellent minor-league numbers, though he has never pitched above the Double-A level. Last season, he posted a 2.45 ERA and 2.60 fielding-independent pitching (FIP) in 44 innings for High-A Tampa before being called up to Double-A Trenton, where his numbers were just as strong: 3.06 ERA and 2.59 FIP.
He struck out 82 batters with just 21 walks in 61 2/3 innings pitched between the two levels.
The 6-foot-5 southpaw is a former 16th-round draft pick who converted from a starter to reliever in 2014. Possessing a fastball this sits in the low- to mid-90s and a solid breaking ball, Rutckyj could develop into a difficult arm for left-handed batters to pick up on. As Braves general manager John Coppolella said before leaving Nashville, the Ontario native struck out 40 percent of the lefties he faced this past season.
Rutckyj joins Manny Banuelos, Danny Burawa, Jose Ramirez, Arodys Vizcaino and Joel De La Cruz, among other position players, as former Yankees arms the Braves have added to their system in recent years. This comes as little surprise given Coppolella's history of working in New York's front office, not to mention assistant director of baseball operations Kiley McDaniel and special assistant Gordon Blakeley, both former members of the Yankees scouting department.
The Braves also added right-hander Enderson Franco from the Marlins farm system and lost organizational arm Mitch Lambson to the Brewers in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.
Only the Philadelphia Phillies relievers fared worse against left-handed hitting than the Braves last season. Atlanta's bullpen allowed a 4.61 ERA and 4.81 FIP in such situations. That helped prompt the Braves' offseason splurge in potential bullpen help, acquiring Krol, Ramirez, Jim Johnson and David Carpenter through trade and free agency.
Add the Rule 5 route to the mix.
The Braves have turned their attention to their relief corps in order to protext a young, developing starting rotation — one that received 151 starts from pitchers under the age of 25 last season and will likely continue to test rookies as Sean Newcomb, Aaron Blair, Tyrell Jenkins and Lucas Sims push their way through the minors — and Rutckyj becomes just the next step in that process.
Worst case scenario: His excellent minor-league numbers do not translate to the majors next season and the Yankees elect to re-claim his rights. The Braves can afford the risk.
