Pirates Trade Pitcher to Rangers Immediately After Rule 5 Draft
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates surprisingly made a pick in the Rule 5 Draft then immediately sent him away afterwards.
The Pirates selected right-handed relief pitcher Carter Baumler from the Baltimore Orioles in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft, their sole selection.
Pittsburgh then traded Baumler to the Texas Rangers for right-handed pitcher Jaiker Garcia and cash considerations.
Carter Baumler's Background
Baumler hails from Des Moines, Iowa and pitched for Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines.
He pitched well in 2019 and impressed scouts at events like the Area Code Games and the World Wood Bat Association World Championships.
The Orioles took Baumler in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft with the 133rd overall pick and he signed with them, forgoing his commitment to TCU.
Baumler dealt with injuries early on his career, missing the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
He then only pitched in four games in 2022, seven games in 2023 and 10 games in 2024, missing a significant amount of time each season with injuries.
Baumler finally had a somewhat healthy season in 2025, with a 2.04 ERA over 28 apperances across rookie level ball, Single-A and High-A.
What Does This Mean for Baumler?
The Pirates would've had to keep Baumler on the roster for the entire season if they did keep him, but not longer have to do that now that they've trade him.
Baumler is now with Texas, who have to keep him on their 26-man roster for the 2026 season, giving him a chance to pitch at the major league level.
The Pirates also have a new pitcher of their own in Garcia, who isn't under Rule 5 restrictions, that they can put anywhere.
What is the Rule 5 Draft?
The Rule 5 Draft prevents teams from stockpiling young talent in their minor leagues and makes them available for teams to take during the Winter Meetings.
Players that are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft are those that aren't on the 40-man roster and were either 18 or younger on June 5 when they signed, and this serving as the fifth Rule 5 draft afterwards or 19 or older on June 5 when they signed and this serving as their fourth Rule 5 draft following.
Teams also can protect their players and place them on the 40-man roster before the deadline.
Pittsburgh protected six players from the Rule 5 Draft before the Nov. 18 deadline, including top prospect in Esmerlyn Valdez.
If an MLB team selects a player from the Rule 5 Draft, they have to keep that player on the MLB roster the entire season and can't send them down to the minor leagues.
Players that are selected also must spend at least 90 days on the roster that season and if they don't meet that threshold, due to time on the injured list, they must spend those remaining days on the MLB roster the next season.
If a team trades a player they selected in the Rule 5 Draft, that team taking the player still has them under the same restrictions, which is the case for Baumler.
The Pirates made one of the most important selections in Rule 5 Draft history, taking Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente on Nov. 22, 1954 from the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.