Nats select infielder, 3 RHPs in MiLB Rule 5

December 8th, 2021

WASHINGTON -- The Nationals acquired four players, including one with Major League experience, on Wednesday in the Minor League phase of the 2021 Rule 5 Draft. They did not lose any of their eligible players to another organization.

The group of eligible players was comprised of those who signed with a team at 18 years old or younger and were not added to the 40-man roster within five seasons. It also included players who signed at 19 years old and were not added within four seasons. In the Minor League phase, teams pay $24,500 to the player’s original team for selecting him and then can send the player to any level within its system.

With the third overall pick, the Nats selected D-backs second baseman Andrew Young. The 27-year-old, who was selected by the Cardinals in the 37th round of the 2016 June Draft, has appeared in 70 Major League games. Last season, he split his time between 58 games with the D-backs (.209/.298/.484) and 48 in Triple-A (.304/.388/.598). Young hit six big league home runs in ‘21, including a grand slam on April 15 at Nationals Park.

Washington went for all pitchers after that, acquiring Blue Jays right-hander Curtis Taylor with the third pick of the second round. Taylor was 2-3 with a 5.71 ERA in 34 2/3 innings over 30 games (one start, six games finished) across the Double-A and Triple-A levels in 2021. Taylor, 26, was a fourth-round selection of Arizona in the ‘16 Draft.

John Moore | MiLB

The Nationals then chose righty Matt Brill from the D-backs with the second pick of the third round. Brill, 27, was 2-4 with a 6.33 ERA across 27 frames in as many games, including four saves and 13 games finished, at Double-A last season. He was a 12th-round pick by Arizona in the 2017 June Draft.

The Nats concluded their Rule 5 Draft activity by selecting Guardians right-hander Dakody Clemmer with the first pick of the fourth round. Clemmer, 25, went 3-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 50 1/3 innings (35 games, eight finished) at Double-A last season. He was picked in the 19th round of the 2016 Draft by Cleveland.

Washington’s prospects who were eligible for the Rule 5 Draft but not selected by another club on Wednesday were left-hander Tim Cate (No. 13 prospect, per MLB Pipeline), shortstop Jordy Barley (No. 26), right-hander Richard Guasch (No. 27) and catcher Israel Pineda (No. 28).