Rangers Rule 5 Draft: Texas expected to acquire Pirates RHP after passing on MLB phase

Rangers expected to acquire RHP Carter Baumler from Pirates after passing on MLB phase of Rule 5 Draft

The Texas Rangers passed on selecting someone in the Major League phase of the 2025 Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday. However, the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant reported Texas is expected to acquire right-handed reliever Carter Baumler from the Pittsburgh Pirates, who selected Baumler from the Baltimore Orioles with the fifth overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft.

The Orioles selected Baumler, 23, out of high school in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He received a $1.5 million signing bonus from Baltimore.

Baumler posted a 2.04 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 18 walks in 39 2/3 innings across three minor-league levels this past season. He reached Double-A, the highest level he has played in, last season, allowing no runs in 7 2/3 innings. Overall, Baumler has a career 3.05 ERA in 88 2/3 minor-league innings.

The Rangers' expected new reliever can throw a fastball in the high-90s. He can also throw a curveball, a slider and a changeup.

With the Rangers losing almost all of their relievers to free agency, acquiring Baumler is a good start to rebuilding their bullpen. Sure, Baumler could prove he is not ready for the big leagues during Spring Training, but he clearly has the potential to be an excellent bullpen arm.

Explaining the Rule 5 Draft

Players who entered professional baseball at age 18 or younger in 2021 or at age 19 or older in 2022 can be selected in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft if they aren't on a 40-man roster.

If a team selects a player during the Major League phase, they must pay his former club $100,000 and keep him on their Major League roster for the entire 2026 season. If the team wants to get rid of the player, he must be put on waivers and then offered back to his original team for half his draft price. Although the Rangers traded for Baumler, the same restrictions apply.

There is also a Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft, where anyone not protected on a Major League or Triple-A roster is eligible to be drafted for $24,000. They don't carry the same restrictions as players selected in the big league phase.

In the Minor League phase, the Rangers selected right-handed pitcher Jonathan Brand from the Boston Red Sox. They also lost right-handed pitcher Jackson Kelley to the Chicago White Sox and right-handed pitcher Kyle Larsen to the Pirates.