Ex-Red Sox Intriguing Prospect Set To Get Chance With Phillies But Return Is Possible

Could the Red Sox luck out with the potential return of an intriguing prospect?

The Philadelphia Phillies received some good news Wednesday. 

Philadelphia -- led by former Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski -- snatched intriguing prospect Noah Song from Boston in the most recent Rule 5 Draft and it sounds like he may have a chance to join the club.

Song attended the Naval Academy and during his time in college developed into one of the most exciting pitching prospects in baseball and was drafted by Boston in the fourth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft but at one point seemed poised to be taken in the first round. Song began his professional career in the Boston farm system but hasn't pitched competitively since 2019 as he was denied a waiver from the Department of Defense and was required to fulfill his military obligation after attending the Naval Academy. 

The 25-year-old was granted a release Wednesday and transferred to selected reserves and will report to the club Thursday but there is a chance he eventually returns to Boston, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. 

"In 2019, Song was denied a waiver by the Department of Defense to forgo his military obligation and had served on active duty since, Passan said. "His move to the selected reserves, which typically calls for one weekend of service a month and two weeks a year, allows him to resume his baseball career.

"To keep Song, the Phillies must place him on the active 26-man roster for the entire season -- a difficult path with Philadelphia coming off a World Series appearance and boasting a deep bullpen. Song's upside still was clear from his dominance in college and his short minor league career."

If Song is unable to make the Phillies out of spring training -- which after not pitching professionally since 2019 may be difficult to do -- then he could be traded or placed on waivers. If he's neither traded nor claimed on waivers, he could be returned to the Red Sox for a fee. 

When Song was at his best, he was dominant at the college level and even with the then Red Sox Short-Season Single-A affiliate Lowell Spinners. The young hurler had a fastball that typically sat in the mid-90s and compiled an ERA of 2.37 in four years of college but was most dominant in his senior year where he recorded a 1.44 ERA. 

Song also shined with the Spinners -- although in a small sample size -- in 2019 with a 1.06 ERA in seven starts. The young hurler has been a starter throughout his career, but if he was able to make the Phillies out of spring training it would be initially as a relief pitcher. 

The Phillies took a gamble in snatching Song in the Rule 5 Draft but now that he's able to return to the field, it could pay off in a major way. 

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