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Rule 5 Draft Trade: Justin Slaten To The Red Sox

Trey Daubert / MLB / December 6, 2023

Rule 5 Draft Justin Slaten — We have a trade. Justin Slaten is going to the Red Sox during the 2024 MLB Rule 5 Draft. Read more on Slaten here! (Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)

Rule 5 Draft Trade: Justin Slaten To The Red Sox

The 2023 MLB Rule 5 Draft wrapped up (click here for the results) but we already have a trade that went down. The Mets selected Justin Slaten with the 8th pick. Clearly, the Red Sox were interested because they just traded for his services.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post has reported that Slaten is being sent to Boston in exchange for Ryan Ammons and cash considerations.

The Mets obtained LHP Ryan Ammons and cash considerations from the Red Sox for RHP Justin Slaten.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 6, 2023

Slaten, 25, was identified by Baseball America as a top target to select in the Rule 5 Draft. The Red Sox were obviously interested but Slaten didn’t make it down to pick 12.

The Mets selected RHP Justin Slaten from the Texas Rangers organization in the Rule 5 Draft

The 25-year-old split the season between Double-A/Triple-A and posted a 2.87 ERA in 40 games with 86 strikeouts in 59.2 innings

Fastball up to 98 with a mid-80’s sweeper pic.twitter.com/1NOSxALZbQ
— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) December 6, 2023

Ammons, 22, was selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Of course, the Clemson product was picked while Chaim Bloom was still part of the Red Sox. Craig Breslow maybe felt differently about Ammons internally. It’s also worth noting that the Sox added Nicholas Judice in the Alex Verdugo trade. Judice was an 8th-round pick this past draft. Something that probably made it easier to part with Ammons.

Will The Red Sox Regret Losing Shane Drohan In The Rule 5 Draft?

Boston will still need to add Slaten to the 40-man and carry him on the big league roster the entire season. Time will tell if the Sox made a wise deal here. Breslow has certainly been active, especially in the pursuit of acquiring pitching. Breslow has now made three trades and acquired five different arms. Maybe this was a reason why Shane Drohan was left unprotected as well.

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