Minor League Baseball

Washington Nationals Return Rule 5 Draft Pick Evan Reifert to Tampa Bay Rays

Relief pitcher Evan Reifert, who boasted a 1.96 ERA in Double-A last season, has been gifted back to the Tampa Bay Rays after a shaky spring training with the Washington Nationals.
Sam Connon|
Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Evan Reifert (86) throws a pitch during the third inning against the New York Mets at Clover Park.
Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Evan Reifert (86) throws a pitch during the third inning against the New York Mets at Clover Park. | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

In this story:

Tampa Bay RaysWashington Nationals

The Tampa Bay Rays have accepted the return of right-handed pitcher Evan Reifert from the Washington Nationals, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.

The Nationals poached Reifert from the Rays with the No. 5 pick in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. The 25-year-old reliever immediately became the No. 26 prospect in Washington's farm system.

However, Reifert posted a 15.63 ERA and 3.000 WHIP across his seven appearances in the Grapefruit League with the Nationals this spring. He allowed seven hits and 12 walks with nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work.

Washington clearly wasn't comfortable keeping Reifert on their active roster to open the 2025 regular season, so they were forced to hand him back over to Tampa Bay.

Reifert, who did not hear his name called during the COVID-shortened 2020 MLB Draft, initially latched on with the Milwaukee Brewers as an undrafted free agent. In the early days of the 2022 offseason, though, Milwaukee traded him to Tampa Bay in exchange for utility man Mike Brosseau.

After reaching Double-A for the first time in 2022, Reifert spent spring training with the Rays in 2023. He took the mound six times, allowing just two hits and two walks with 11 strikeouts in 4.1 scoreless innings.

Right shoulder inflammation cost Reifert most of the ensuing regular season, but he returned to Montgomery in 2024 and proceeded to go 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA, 0.919 WHIP and 14.2 strikeouts per nine innings across 35 outings.

While Reifert does not have a spot on the Rays' 40-man roster, he could see the first Triple-A action of his career in 2025. Depending on how that goes, maybe Tampa Bay will give Reifert the shot that Washington was unwilling to.

Related MiLB Stories

  • TIGERS OPTION JUNG: Instead opening the regular season as the Detroit Tigers' starting third baseman, top prospect Jace Jung will instead return to the minors. CLICK HERE
  • ORIOLES OPTION MAYO, BASALLO: The top two prospects in Baltimore's farm system have been sent back to the minors, and Coby Mayo isn't hiding his frustration. CLICK HERE
  • TEAMS WANTED WARREN: Will Warren, ranked No. 5 in the Yankees' farm system, did not get traded despite multiple clubs reportedly showing interest. CLICK HERE

Follow MiLB On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Minor League Baseball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.

Published | Modified
Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer for “Minor League Baseball on SI’’ and other "On SI'' baseball sites. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for “UCLA on SI’’ and won awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for “New England Patriots on SI’’ and was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Follow Sam on Twitter @SamConnon.

Home/NEWS