11:02am: MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart tweets that the Astros have assigned Ferrell to Double-A Corpus Christi.
10:37am: Right-hander Riley Ferrell has cleared outright waivers and been returned to the Astros, tweets Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Ferrell, whom the Marlins selected out of the Houston organization in last December’s Rule 5 Draft, was placed on waivers by Miami late last week. He is not required to be placed on the 40-man roster now that he’s back with his original organization.
Ferrell, 25, pitched reasonably well for the Marlins in Spring Training, yielding a pair of runs on five hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. While the walks were obviously unwelcome, Ferrell did look to have a chance to crack the big league roster. Instead, a case of biceps tendinitis landed him on the injured list and has prevented him from pitching in the Majors at all in 2019.
Ferrell did start a rehab assignment in mid May but had that assignment halted after just four appearances. He rebooted his rehab efforts on June 12 and tossed 4 2/3 shutout innings (no hits, one walk, two strikeouts) before the Marlins cut bait. Ferrell averaged nearly 12 punchouts per nine innings in a combined 51 1/3 frames with the Astros’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates in 2018 but also logged an ugly 5.9 BB/9 mark in the process. Through a total of 10 1/3 rehab innings in 2019, he issued six walks and hit a batter.
I wonder what prompted this move now. That looks like a pretty successful first rehab appearance.
Right? I had to read it twice to be certain
I know, yet no one claimed him on waivers.
Maybe doubts about him being healthy/successful long term but I’m shocked as well. Ferrell has potential and Marlins don’t seem to have many younger bullpen options
Bullpen was the only organizational strength in the minor leagues before this last couple of years. Its fine
Maybe it was part of a pre-arranged deal — marlins always going to return him. No one picked him up because no one could put him on the major league roster.
Everyone get your foil hats on, it’s conspiracy hour.
surprised no one wanted him via waivers. something during his rehab mustve been discouraging.
Question about Rule 5: Does the clock start running again for Ferrell (i.e. another exemption period before placement on the forty man roster or exposure to the Rule 5 draft) or is Rule 5 a one-and-done deal for a given career?
He’ll be eligible again if the Stros don’t put him on the 40 man
Surprising that no one even took a look. Guess the other teams have a full 40 man.
The lack of adequate pitchers MLB wide would seem to benefit moving from a 40 man to a 45 man roster.
6 walks in 10 innings, along with a hit batter in the minor leagues. In the majors that number of walks would be higher as hitter chase less. That is why no team claimed him.
I bet they wish they had Clint Frazier.
Great Pic!