Cardinals Poach Promising Red Sox Pitching Prospect In Rule 5 Draft

St. Louis is off to a solid start at this year's Rule 5 Draft

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the hunt to bolster their pitching staff as much as they can this offseason following last season's disastrous outcome.

So far, the Cardinals have landed three quality starting pitchers and are eyeing numerous relievers to replenish the bullpen.

Adding pitching depth will be important for the Cardinals going into next season and it looks like St. Louis has that in mind at this year's Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft.

"The (Cardinals) select right-handed pitcher Ryan Fernandez from the (Boston Red Sox's) Triple-A roster in the first round of today’s Rule 5 Draft," MLB.com's John Denton reported Wednesday.

Fernandez holds a 17-10 record with a 3.33 ERA, 252-to-60 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .238 batting average against, and 1.19 WHIP in 216 innings pitched for the Red Sox affiliates.

The 25-year-old pitcher was drafted by Boston in 2018 and has been steadily making his way to the top. After success in Double-A Portland, Fernandez got his first call-up to play for Triple-A Worcester last season.

The former 23rd-round draft pick struggled in his stint with Triple-A Worcester, posting a 6.16 ERA and 1.57 WHIP -- leaving much room for improvement.

The Cardinals will be tasked with finding a roster spot for Fernandez all season long after poaching him from Boston. If not, St. Louis will have to send him back to the Red Sox.

The Double-A version of Fernandez appeared more than capable of making a big-league roster but his Triple-A production -- or lack thereof -- was concerning. Either way, it was smart to take a shot on the hard-throwing righty.

More MLB: Cardinals Reportedly Still Linked To Star Pitcher In Free Agency Despite Massive Price