Pirates Select Pitcher In Rule 5 Draft

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected left-handed pitcher Jose Hernandez off Los Angeles’ (NL) Triple-A Oklahoma roster with the third overall pick in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft. The 24-year-old Hernandez went a combined 4-4 with eight saves, a 3.32 ERA, 69 strikeouts, .215 batting average against and 1.21 WHIP in 51 appearances (two starts) between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa in 2022. The 6’3’’ southpaw began the 2022 season with Great Lakes, where he was charged with one earned run, struck out 18 batters and recorded a .156 batting average against and 0.98 WHIP in his last 13 appearances before being promoted to Double-A on May 28. Hernandez was originally signed by the Dodgers as a non-drafted free agent on May 12, 2016.