Mets pitcher Matt Bowman selected by Cardinals in Rule 5 Draft
Binghamton Mets starting pitcher Matt Bowman throws against the Erie SeaWolves in the first game of a double-header baseball game at Jerry Uht Park in Erie, Pa., on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Credit: AP / Greg Wohlford
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mets Triple-A pitcher Matt Bowman was selected by the Cardinals in Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft.
“He’s a good pitcher, [coming off] a little bit of a down year,” assistant general manager John Ricco said. “I’m not surprised.”
Bowman, 24, went 7-10 with a 5.53 ERA in Las Vegas. At the trade deadline, teams had listed him as a potential target. But after his struggles, he was left unprotected by the Mets, who did not make any selections in the draft.
The Mets left highly regarded outfielder Wuilmer Becerra unprotected, accepting what Ricco called the “calculated risk” of assuming that teams would shy away from choosing a player so low in the minors. The Mets were rewarded when Becerra went unselected.
Rule 5 draft picks must remain on big-league rosters for the entire season. If not, they are required to be offered back to their former teams.
