The Phillies could soon lose RHP Enyel De Los Santos in the Rule 5 Draft.
While the Philadelphia Phillies selected the contracts of six prospects ahead of Friday’s deadline to protect them from next month’s Rule 5 Draft, only so many 40-man roster spots were available for them to do so.
As a result, several other Phillies prospects were left unprotected and could soon be drafted and purchased away from the organization for $100,000. Among these players is the No. 9-ranked Phillies prospect, right-handed pitcher Enyel De Los Santos.
Set to turn 25 this Christmas, the Dominican Republic native has been in the Phillies organization ever since their December 2017 trade that sent once-deemed successor to franchise hits leader Jimmy Rollins at the shortstop position — Freddy Galvis — to the San Diego Padres.
In just his first professional season in the Phillies organization, De Los Santos went an impressive 9-3 with a 1.89 ERA and 87-31 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 95 1/3 innings, before earning a promotion to the majors.
In two big-league, road division starts before being sent back down, De Los Santos went 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA, allowing eight earned runs and a pair of home runs spanning 10 2/3 frames.
De Los Santos would eventually return and make five more appearances, all out of the bullpen. He went 1-0 with a 4.74 ERA overall in 2018. The following year, he went 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA across five appearances, just one being a start.
Praised for his arm strength — as well as having a fastball that peaks in the high 90s and an above-average, low-80s slider out pitch — De Los Santos just seems like he has not received enough of an opportunity at the big-league level just yet in red pinstripes.
The right-hander had been recalled from the team’s alternate training site this past season, but did not appear in a big-league game; he was later optioned back down, designated for assignment, and cleared waivers.
De Los Santos holds a career 5.70 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, and 24-13 strikeouts-to-walks ratio in 30 career MLB innings. He, along with fellow Rule 5-eligible Phillies prospects southpaw reliever Zach Warren, southpaw starter David Parkinson, slugging outfielder Jhailyn Ortiz, and righty Kevin Gowdy, among others, could soon be joining another big-league organization.