Pirates Select Five Players During Rule 5 Draft

The Pirates then traded Baumler to the Texas Rangers for right-handed pitcher Jaiker Garcia and cash considerations.

Garcia joined the Rangers as an international free agent at 17 years old on Jan. 15, 2022.

He was originally an infielder, but converted to pitching full-time after the 2022 season. He started 10 of 11 games for Rangers Red in the 2024 Dominican Summer League (DSL), with a 1-3 record and a 6.41 ERA over 39.1 innings pitched.

Garcia pitched at Rookile-Level ball in the Arizona Complex League (ACL) in 2025. He posted a 3-3 record in 18 bullpen appearances, a 4.66 ERA over 19.1 innings pitched, with a .282 batting average allowed (BAA) and a 1.76 WHIP.

The soon-to-be 22-year old is now pitching for Navegantes del Magallanes in the Venezuelan Winter League, along with recently acquired top Pirates prospect in outfielder Jhostynxon García.

Jaiker Garcia has allowed just one earned run over 11.2 innings pitched for a 0.77 ERA, with 11 strikeouts to 10 walks.

Pirates Add Four Players in the Minor League Phase

Pittsburgh was more busy in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft, as they took four players and added them to their organization.

Players that teams add through the minor league phase don't have the same restrictions as the players added through the major league phase, which keeps them on a 26-man roster the whole season.

It also only costs $24,000 to take a player in the minor league phase, compared to $100,000 in the major league phase.

The Pirates added four pitchers in the minor league phase, including right-handers in Junior Flores, Kyle Larsen and Bryan Mena, as well as left-hander Brandon Neeck.

Flores signed as an international free agent from Venezuela in 2020 with the San Francisco Giants and spent five seasons in their farm system.

He pitched in the DSL in 2021 and 2022, in the ACL in 2023, Single-A San Jose in 2024 and six of his eight appearances last season, posting a 3.38 ERA over 10.2 innings pitched.

The Rangers took Larsen in the 18th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, signing for $575,000 from TNXL Academy in Longwood, Fla.

Larsen pitched between the ACL and High-A Hickory in 2025, finishing wth a 4.09 ERA over 33.0 innings, a .227 batting average and a 1.04 WHIP.

The Colorado Rockies singed Mena as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic at just 16 years old on Jan. 15, 2021.

Mena spent all of 2025 with Single-A Fresno, posting a 2-6 record in 18 starts and 29 appearances, a 5.62 ERA over 107.1 innings pitched, a .291 batting average allowed and a 1.69 WHIP.

The Los Angeles Dodgers took Neeck in the ninth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Virginia.

Neeck pitched in 39 games and four starts for Double-A Tulsa, with a 5.40 ERA over 46.2 innings pitched, 45 strikeouts to 35 walks, a .264 batting average allowed and a 1.76 WHIP.

Pirates Lose Player in Minor League Phase

While the Pirates did add four pitchers from the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft, they also lost a pitcher from their organization.

The Cleveland Guardians took right-handed pitcher Jack Carey from the Pirates, the only player they lost in either phase of the Rule 5 Draft

Pittsburgh took Carey in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Duke, and he spent the past five seasons in the farm system.

Carey had a solid season in 2025 at High-A Greensboro, with a 5-0 record in 41 appearances, 3.62 ERA over 54.2 innings pitched, .211 batting average allowed and a 1.19 WHIP.