Pirates 2022 Rule 5 Losses: Nine Pitchers, Three Position Players

This is the third in a series of stories looking at how players taken from and selected by the Pirates in the Rule 5 Draft have fared to begin the 2023 season. Click here for part I. Click here for part II. 

Opposing teams raided the Pirates’ cupboard in the Rule 5 Draft last year, picking up nine pitchers (mostly relievers) and three position players. Here’s a look at how those picks fared during the first half of the 2023 season.

Departed Pitchers

Joelvis Del Rosario, RHP

0-8 with a 6.25 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched for the Lansing Lugnuts, Oakland’s High-A affiliate. 

Domingo Gonzalez, RHP

1-2 with a 3.82 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched for the Mississippi Braves, Atlanta’s Double-A affiliate.

Joe Jacques, LHP

1-3 with a 3.58 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 27.2 minor league innings. 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 15 innings for the Boston Red Sox.

Cristian Charle, RHP

5-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 46 innings. Charle began the season with the Miami Marlins’ High-A affiliate, rising through the ranks to Triple-A in a short period of time. He topped out in Greensboro with the Pirates last season, so they would’ve needed to do some serious juggling to get him on the 40-man roster and protect him from a Rule 5 selection, but the 23-year-old sure looks like a rising star out of the bullpen at this point. 

Enmanuel Mejia, RHP

3-3 with a 5.10 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 30 innings for the Montgomery Biscuits, Tampa Bay’s Double-A affiliate.

Austin Roberts, RHP 

2-1 with a 6.55 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 44 innings between the Marlins’ Double-A and Triple-A teams.

Wilkin Ramos, RHP 

4-2 with a 2.90 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 40.1 innings for the Mets’ High-A and Double-A affiliates.

Trey McGough, LHP 

The Norfolk Tides, Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate, placed McGough on the 60-day injured list on March 31. He has yet to pitch in a game for the club.

Peter Solomon, RHP

Solomon appeared in five games for the Diamondbacks this season, shelled to the tune of a 12.15 ERA in 13.1 innings. He’s struggled similarly in Double-A and Triple-A this year, with a 8.92 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 39.1 innings. 

Departed Position Players

Jared Oliva, OF 

Slashing .247/.339/.460 with six doubles, four triples and six home runs in 50 games for the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, Oliva (who played in 26 games for the Pirates across 2020 and 2021) seems like a career minor leaguer or fringe roster player at age 27. 

Yoyner Fajardo, INF

Fajardo is slashing .289/.352/.382 with 13 doubles, three triples and three home runs in 79 games for the Wichita Wind Surge. He split time between the infield and outfield during his time in the Pirates’ system, settling in in the outfield this season with the Twins’ farm team.