Phillies add trio of Top 30 prospects to 40-man roster ahead of Rule 5 Draft

Tuesday was a busy day around Major League Baseball, with roster movement everywhere. With a 6 p.m. ET deadline for MLB teams to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft by adding them to the 40-man roster, the Philadelphia Phillies made some tough roster decisions.

The Rule 5 Draft is scheduled for Dec. 11, during the MLB Winter Meetings. Any Rule 5-eligible minor leaguers who aren't on a 40-man roster are able to be selected in the draft. The only catch is that the player must remain on the team's 26-man roster all season or will be offered back to their original team.

Phillies protect Mick Abel, Moisés Chace and Jean Cabrera from Rule 5 Draft

With three open spots on the 40-man roster when Tuesday began, the Phillies, unsurprisingly, protected right-handers Mick Abel, Moisés Chace and Jean Cabrera. The team also announced that the recently acquired right-hander John McMillon cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, leaving one vacant spot on the 40-man roster.

The Phillies have quite a few notable Rule 5-eligible players this year and were forced to leave some unprotected despite not using every available spot on the 40-man. This group includes right-handed pitchers Griff McGarry, Eiberson Castellano and Christian McGowan.

Abel, the Phillies' first-round pick in 2020 and current No. 6 prospect, went through some well-publicized struggles in Triple-A this past season. Despite his 6.46 ERA and 1.81 WHIP over 108 2/3 innings for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Phillies are still high on the 23-year-old. Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly recently gave an encouraging take on Abel on The Phillies Show podcast.

“I think getting Mick to that upper level using major league baseballs with ABS [automatic ball/strike challenge system], it's a big adjustment for him," Mattingly said. "I think a lot of struggles that were public throughout the year, we know he's made for that and I think there was some adjustments that came later, where he continued to trend up throughout the season with his stuff. We think he's going to be a piece of what we're doing going forward.”

Chace is currently the Phillies' No. 26 MLB Pipeline prospect. After coming over in the Gregory Soto trade this summer, the 21-year-old Chace quickly ingrained himself in the Phillies organization with a 2-1 record, 3.66 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and seven walks in 19 2/3 innings in four Double-A starts for the Reading Fightin Phils.

Mattingly also heaped praise on Chace during his The Phillies Show podcast appearance.

“Moisés Chace is a guy to me that has the stuff now to compete in the big leagues, it's just refining," Mattingly said. "The fastball is special, he's got a sweeper, a cutter and a changeup. It's a lot of finer points with him we're trying to do, like holding runners."

Cabrera, 23, seemingly came out of nowhere this season. He had an impressive start to his season in High-A but cooled off after moving up to Double-A. He finished the season ranked as the Phillies' No. 13 prospect, with a 3.80 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 106 2/3 innings.

Phillies leave Griff McGarry, Eiberson Castellano and Christian McGowan unprotected for Rule 5 Draft

McGarry, Castellano and McGowan join other notable names left unprotected, including outfielders Matt Kroon and Marcus Lee Sang, left-hander Tristan Garnett and catcher/first baseman Carson Taylor.

McGarry was a fifth-round pick in 2021 and has struggled at the upper levels of the minor league. The 25-year-old posted a 4.70 ERA and 1.92 WHIP in 30 2/3 relief innings in Triple-A this past season. He's ranked as the team's No. 21 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Castellano, 23, won the Paul Owens Award this season as the Phillies' best minor league pitcher. He posted a 6-5 record, 3.99 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 22 games (20 starts) split between High-A and Double-A. His 136 strikeouts and just 29 walks in 103 2/3 innings jump off the page.

The 24-year-old McGowan posted a 6.29 ERA and 1.72 WHIP in 34 1/3 Triple-A innings in 2024. He's currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Phillies' No. 22 prospect.

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