ORLANDO – The Rule 5 Draft on Thursday holds some intrigue for the Giants, even if their 40-man roster is already full and they can’t add a player.
Hey, the manager’s son could get plucked away.
Brett Bochy, a right-handed reliever, wasn’t added to the 40-man roster and thus is eligible to be taken by another club. That probably won’t happen, since a team would have to be committed to keeping Bochy on its major league roster all season or be forced to offer him back.
Bochy, 26, was in big league camp this past spring and posted a 3.99 ERA in 42 appearances for Triple-A Fresno. He has 179 strikeouts in 148.2 innings over three minor league seasons, but durability has been an issue at times.
If you think Bruce Bochy is being protective of his son, think again. As much as he enjoys having Brett in the organization, he’s also a nervous wreck whenever he pitches. And getting snapped up in the Rule 5 Draft would give him a legitimate shot to make a big league roster.
The player with the highest profile that they left unprotected was outfielder Jarrett Parker, a second-round pick in 2010 who ht .245 with 18 home runs at Double-A Richmond last season then went on to hit .300/.366/.333 in the Arizona Fall League.
Despite his athleticism and tools, Parker has struggled to make consistent contact. The 24-year-old has 480 strikeouts in just over 1500 minor league plate appearances.
