Milwaukee Brewers: Previous Rule 5 draft losses

Reviewing the Brew previously looked into hitters and pitchers the Milwaukee Brewers should target at this week’s Rule 5 draft, as well as the team’s history with their picks. Now, it’s time to examine the players Milwaukee lost through this process.

The Rule 5 draft is always something to look forward to, as it caps off one of the busiest weeks of the offseason. The Milwaukee Brewers may or may not nab a player in this year’s draft, but the team certainly could lose a player or two. Milwaukee has a decent number of players over the years like this. As such, it’s time to investigate how the selected Brewers fared after being picked in the MLB portion.

2016: Miguel Diaz, RHP

Diaz headlined the field in 2016, as the Twins took the right-hander with the top Rule 5 pick. The Twins dealt him to the Padres later that day, however. The Padres did keep him on their active roster all season (thanks in part to a lengthy DL stint), but he’ll likely head back to the lower minors for more seasoning in 2018. Diaz could be an excellent pitcher in the future though, as his high strikeout rate and velocity bode well moving forward.

2011: Lucas Luetge, LHP

Luetge was the third player selected in the 2011 Rule 5 draft, and he managed to prove his worth in 2012. After a relatively unspectacular season at Double-A Huntsville, the southpaw headed to the Mariners. He managed to log 40.2 innings over the course of the season, but his 3.98 ERA and 5.3 BB/9 were rather shaky. Nonetheless, Seattle was able to retain his services and kept him around for the next three years. He’s still playing today, albeit as a Quad-A player most recently with the Orioles.

2010: Adrian Rosario, RHP

Rosario was the fourth player picked in 2010’s Rule 5 draft, but his high selection didn’t predict his future success. The Orioles nabbed him likely due to the gaudy 12.4 K/9 he produced in Low-A the year prior. However, he failed to escape spring training with an MLB job and headed back to Milwaukee in June. Afterward, Rosario spent two more seasons in the Brewers’ organization before ending his playing career in 2013.

2008: Lou Palmisano, C

A strong 2008 season put Palmisano onto teams radars, but his Arizona Fall League performance really put him on the league-wide map. The Orioles opted to pick him up after the backstop slashed .370/.404/.630 in 52 AFL plate appearances. However, Baltimore traded him to the Astros shortly thereafter for cash considerations. The Milwaukee Brewers also declined to take him back after the Astros denied him a roster spot. As such, Palmisano headed to an independent league to play out the rest of his career.

2007: Callix Crabbe, INF

Awesome name aside, Crabbe was one of the last players taken in 2006’s MLB phase of the Rule 5 draft. He showed upside the season prior, as he produced an .813 OPS with 17 steals at Triple-A. Due to this, the Padres scooped him up and even kept him on the Opening Day roster. However, they returned him to the Brewers after he mustered just a .488 OPS in 39 plate appearances. He finished out the season in Triple-A and never made the big leagues again.

Next: Ted Simmons snubbed for Hall of Fame once again

The Brewers were fortunate to never lose any overly significant players through the Rule 5 draft. However, it’s always a possibility, so the Winter Meetings finale is certainly worth a look this year.