Due primarily to limited roster flexibility, the Phillies passed on making a selection in the MLB portion of Wednesday's Rule 5 Draft but added minor league depth, selecting three catchers and a pair of infielders in the minor league portion of the draft.
William Simoneit, C, Oakland
The 27-year-old hit .237 last season in double-A. Over three minor league seasons he's hitting .259 with 22 homers and 127 RBIs. The Wake Forest product hit ten dingers and performed well at high-A Lansing in 2021 (.273) but has struggled a bit since.
Luis Caicuto, C, Arizona
The 20-year-old from Venezuela has only played in 46 career games at the rookie level, but he's posted a .300 average since signing with the Diamondbacks in 2021. Injuries prevented him from getting behind the plate last season and limited him to only 19 at-bats.
Carson Taylor, C, Los Angeles Dodgers
Drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth-round of the 2020 draft, Taylor hit just .221 last season at double-A.
Trevor Schwecke, INF, Toronto
A utility-type player, Schwecke played six different positions last year. He hit .278 with eight homers and 42 RBIs while splitting time between double-A and triple-A.
Bryce Ball, INF, Cleveland
The 25-year-old hit .219 last season between single-A and double-A. He posted a .762 OPS during the 2022 and finished with a .265 average with 11 homers and 76 RBIs.
