Breaking: Red Sox Suffer Devastating Blow! Two Bright Pitching Prospects Stolen in Shocking Rule 5 Draft Twist!

The Boston Red Sox are becoming accustomed to losing promising pitching prospects in the Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft, and this year was no exception. In the recent draft, the Red Sox saw left-handed starting pitcher Shane Drohan, ranked as Boston’s No. 19 overall prospect, selected by the Chicago White Sox with the fourth overall pick. Following closely, the St. Louis Cardinals picked up right-handed reliever Ryan Fernandez.

At a certain point in the previous season, Drohan emerged as one of the top pitching prospects in the Red Sox’s system. The 24-year-old had a strong start to his 2023 campaign, boasting a 5-0 record with a 1.32 ERA, a 36-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a .161 batting average against, and a 0.82 WHIP in 34 innings for Double-A Portland. This performance led many to believe he would secure a spot on the Red Sox’s 40-man roster in the winter. However, his fortunes took a turn for the worse when he struggled upon being called up to Triple-A Worcester.

Drohan’s Triple-A stint saw him go 5-7 with a 6.47 ERA, a 93-to-63 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a .293 batting average against, and a 1.87 WHIP in 89 innings for the WooSox. Suddenly, he experienced difficulties with control, walking a significant number of batters and conceding numerous hits.

Fernandez’s narrative echoed Drohan’s. The 25-year-old initially showcased promise, starting the year with a 1.77 ERA in 20 1/3 innings for the Sea Dogs, featuring an upper-90s fastball and a strong overall pitch mix. However, his performance took a downturn upon promotion to Triple-A, mirroring Drohan’s struggles.

In Triple-A, Fernandez recorded a 6.16 ERA in 30 2/3 innings for the WooSox, primarily due to increased contact rates and a notable rise in baserunners allowed. While both Drohan and Fernandez retain the potential to evolve into impactful pitchers, their subpar second halves led Boston to forego protecting them from the Rule 5 Draft.

The question remains whether these departures will prove detrimental to the Red Sox or, similar to last year, turn out to be relatively inconsequential transactions.