The Texas Rangers selected right-handed pitcher Mike Hauschild from the Houston Astros' Triple-A Fresno roster in the major league phase of this morning's Rule 5 Draft.
Also today, the Rangers announced that the club has re-signed outfielder Jared Hoying to a minor league contact along with signing outfielder Cesar Puello (pronounced PWAY-oh) to a minors deal. Both Hoying and Puello have been invited to major league spring training camp.
The 26-year-old Hauschild has spent his entire career in the Houston organization after he was selected by the Astros in the 33rd round of the 2012 June Draft out of the University of Dayton. The right-hander spent the entire 2016 season with Triple-A Fresno, going 9-10 with a 3.22 ERA (50 ER/139.2 IP) and 119 strikeouts over 24 games/starts. Hauschild has compiled a 3.50 ERA over 124 games/87 starts in his minor league career. He also went 0-1 with a 2.31 ERA (6 ER/23.1 IP) in 5 starts with Escogido in the Dominican Winter League this offseason.
After the selection of Hauschild in the Rule 5 Draft, the Rangers are now at the 40-player limit on the major league roster. The Rangers must keep Hauschild on the major league roster for the duration of the 2017 season, or offer him back to the Astros.
Hoying, 27, was not tendered a 2017 contract offer before the deadline on December 2. He made his major league debut with the Rangers in 2016, batting .217 (10-46) with 2 doubles and 5 RBI over 38 games spanning 3 stints. He also appeared in 2 of 3 games for Texas in the American League Division Series against Toronto. Hoying has at least 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases in each of the last three seasons with Triple-A Round Rock. Originally selected by Texas in the 10th round of the 2010 June draft, he has spent his entire career in the Rangers organization.
Puello, 25, spent the entire 2016 campaign with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the New York Yankees organization, batting .283 with 5 home runs, 31 RBI, and 18 stolen bases in 78 games. The Dominican Republic native was signed by the New York Mets as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2007 and played eight seasons in the Mets farm system. Puello, who is still seeking his major league debut, has played all three outfield positions and owns 166 stolen bases over 656 games in his professional career.
MINOR LEAGUE PHASE: In the minor league phase of this morning's Rule 5 Draft, the Rangers selected three players and did not lose any players.
Matt Smoral, 22, made 11 relief appearances for Toronto's short-season Vancouver club in 2016. The left-hander was selected by the Blue Jays in the supplemental first round (50th overall) of the 2012 June Draft and rated as Toronto's 16th-best prospect according to MLB.com following the 2015 season. He has recorded 136 strikeouts in 106.2 career innings. Right-hander Zack Bird, 22, appeared in 28 games for High-A Carolina in the Atlanta Braves' farm system in 2016 and finished the season ranked as Atlanta's 20th-best prospect according to MLB.com. Right-hander Fernando Miranda, 22, was selected from the Atlanta Braves organization, but spent the entire 2016 season with Quintana Roo of the Mexican League. He was 7-7, 4.87 (44 ER/81.1 IP) over 22 games/17 starts for the Tigres.