Red Sox Officially Lose 22-Year-Old Pitching Prospect To Angels

It was a busy day for the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday...

Feb 28, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of the Los Angeles Angels logo on a hat in the dugout during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox have had a wild week so far and it's only Wednesday.

Most of the week has been centered around rumors involving big-name free agents and trade targets. But free agent signings and trades aren't all that goes on at the winter meetings. The Rule 5 Draft occurred on Wednesday afternoon.

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Boston added some pieces, but also lost some prospects over the course of the draft. One player the club lost was 22-year-old reliever Eybersson Polanco in the Triple-A phase of the draft to the Los Angeles Angels. Ian Cundall of SoxProspects.com shared the news to X.

The Red Sox lost some prospects

"Red Sox lose RHP Eybersson Polanco to the Angels in the minor league Rule 5 draft," Cundall wrote on X on Wednesday. "FB up to 98. Slider, curveball & sweeper all have whiff rates above 40 percent. 22-year-old spent the year in Salem: 62 IP, 5.23 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 71 K:31 BB."

The move also was reflected in MLB.com's running tally of Rule 5 selections in the minor league phase.

Polanco has been pitching in the Red Sox's farm system since 2022. He made his professional debut in 2022 as a member of the Red Sox's Dominican Summer League club. Overall, Polanco made 56 total appearances in the Red Sox's farm system -- including 19 starts -- in three seasons. Polanco pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2022, in the Florida Complex League in 2023, missed the 2024 season, and then pitched for the Class-A Salem Red Sox in 2025.

Now, he goes over to the Angels with a career 3.98 ERA down in the minors in his 56 total appearances.

The Rule 5 Draft is an intriguing point in the Major League Baseball offseason. Sometimes you find gems, like Garrett Whitlock. Sometimes you find duds. Sometimes you lose guys. Sometimes you lose guys and they actually come back, like Noah Song who was poached in the Rule 5 Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022.

Polanco is the next player to go out of the Boston farm system, but this move doesn't really move the needle.

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