JUST IN: Houston grabs RHP Trey McLoughlin in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 Draft as they continue reshaping pitching depth. DD
In the Rule 5 Draft portion of the Winter Meetings, the Houston Astros have been active, selecting a couple of arms to their minor league affiliates
It’s been since December 2017 that the Houston Astros actively participated in drafting a player in the major league phase of the annual Rule 5 draft.
On Wednesday, Houston selected Ruddery Munoz, a right-handed pitcher from the Cincinnati Reds Triple-A affiliate, onto their major league roster, filling up the final slot of the roster size.
Astros Draft Minor League Players In Rule 5
Barring any trades, the 40-man roster of the Astros is full, but they’ve been fairly active in the minor league phases of the Rule 5 draft throughout the years.
Along with an MLB signing, they selected Trey McLoughlin off the New York Mets’ Double-A roster in the Triple-A phase.
McLoughlin, 26, has spent his entire athletic career so far in the Mets farm system since being drafted in 2021, making it as high as Triple-A in 2024.
Spending the majority of his pitching from the bullpen, McLoughin has a career minor league ERA of 3.43 in 188.2 innings, striking out 219 batters.
He is expected to start the 2026 season in Triple-A, with no update on a Spring Training invite.
Can McLoughlin Make An Impact?
ERAs over three in the minors isn’t necessarily the stuff that warrants an MLB debut, yet the career strikeout total for the Connecticut native is rather impressive, with a minor league career 10.4 K/9.
Perhaps he becomes a trade piece as a prospect or the Astros pitching department finds something in his arm that they can help him work on.
Making the big leagues as a minor league relief pitcher from the Rule 5 Draft has been done before, especially in Houston.
Notable candidates have made a similar impact on the Astros major league roster, namely reliever Bryan King.
King was originally in the Chicago Cubs organization since 2019, and did not make the majors until 2024 with the Astros. Houston selected King from the minor league Rule 5 Draft in 2022.
The 29-year-old later made his MLB debut with the team in June 2024 after working his way up from Triple-A.
King has been nothing short of spectacular, sporting a 2.67 career ERA in 96 games with 101 strikeouts in 94.1 innings heading into his third major league season.
He has slotted in nicely as a worthy setup man in the Astros bullpen.
Turning Nothing Into Something
McLoughlin, a fringe prospect much like King, could follow in his footsteps, as the 26-year-old has the stuff to put away hitters.
Dana Brown, Astros general manager, is notorious for turning nobodies into somebodies, especially when it comes to bullpen arms.
