Sandy

Gaston

Arguably the most notable selection from the minor league portion of the annual Rule 5 Draft earlier this week, Gaston re-signed with the Angels last month after posting a respectable 4.84 ERA and 89/47 K/BB ratio across 70 2/3 innings over 40 appearances last year between High-A Tri-City and Triple-A Salt Lake. The hard-throwing 23-year-old righty was one of the top pitching prospects in Tampa Bay’s system a couple years ago — receiving a $2.6 million signing bonus as one of the top arms in the 2019 international signing class — before injuries derailed his career.

Gaston was one of the top pitching prospects in Tampa Bay’s entire system a couple years ago — receiving a $2.6 million signing bonus as one of the top arms in the 2019 international signing class — before injuries derailed his career. The 23-year-old reliever posted a respectable 4.84 ERA and 89/47 K/BB ratio across 70 2/3 innings over 40 appearances last year between High-A Tri-City and Triple-A Salt Lake. He’s an interesting low-risk lottery ticket for the Angels.

Gaston was signed for a $2.6 million bonus in the winter of 2019 as one of the top available international arms in that class. Things didn’t work out, to say the least, as he didn’t advance High-A and posted an ERA of 9.00 in 2024 with a 11/17 K/BB ratio over 11 innings prior to his release. Another team may find interest as organizational depth, but nothing he showed in the minors suggests he’ll ever have fantasy relevance.

This confirms a report from Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald, who hears that Gaston will receive a bonus of $2.6 million. The Marlins also expressed heavy interest, but they didn’t have enough international bonus money remaining after signing the Mesa brothers. It’s worth noting that the Orioles came up empty-handed on all three players after accruing a big chunk of bonus money. The 16-year-old Gaston is a hard-thrower who still has plenty of development ahead of him.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the deal is for $2.61 million. The 16-year-old from Cuba was one of the players that was showcased alongside Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr. last month, and was considered one of the best international prospects still available. He already has been clocked up to 97 mph, and there’s likely more to come as he gets stronger. His secondary pitches are works in progress -- they often are at that age -- but they flash above-average, which makes Gaston a potential starter; just not one you’ll see in the MLB for several years.