Phillies Prospects: Evaluating Who Could Be Selected in Rule 5 Draft
By John Town
Right-Handed Pitcher Miguel Nunez
The Phillies protected numerous pitchers from the Rule 5 draft, but Miguel Nunez was one of the pitchers left on the outside looking in. This came as a slight surprise as Nunez was one of the minor-leaguers sent to the Arizona Fall League by the Phillies.
2016 was Nunez’s first season without starting a single game as he saw mixed results. In 45 relief appearances with Double-A Reading, Nunez struck out 9.71 batters per nine innings. However, his control was a complete mess as he walked 5.44 batters per nine. He managed to post a 3.11 ERA despite his 1.47 WHIP with Reading.
Nunez features a fastball that touches 96-97 mph and mixes it with a curveball and splitter. However, his spotty control forced a move to the bullpen where he will likely stay.
Despite being re-signed to another minor-league deal after the season ended, Nunez will still be Rule 5 eligible after not making the 40-man roster. His potential as a hard-throwing reliever means a team will likely try to stash him in their bullpen and reign in his control. Whether he stays with his hypothetical new team depends on how much Nunez’s control improves.