Twins select Eiberson Castellano in Rule 5 Draft

DALLAS, TX – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have selected right-handed pitcher Eiberson Castellano from Philadelphia in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

Castellano, 23, split the 2024 minor league season between High-A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading, going a combined 6-5 with a 3.99 ERA (103.2 IP, 46 ER), 29 walks, 136 strikeouts, a .229 opponent batting average and a 1.14 WHIP in 22 games (20 starts), while averaging 11.8 strikeouts-per-9.0 innings. He was named Philadelphia’s minor league Pitcher of the Year after leading all Phillies farmhands in strikeouts and ranking tied for fourth in starts. The Maracaibo, Venezuela native was originally signed by Philadelphia in July 2018 and has gone 12-11 with a 3.71 ERA (238.0 IP, 98 ER), 91 walks, 291 strikeouts, a .224 opponent batting average and a 1.21 WHIP in 77 career minor league games (36 starts).

Castellano is the 10th player taken by the Twins in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft dating back to 2005:

2024 Eiberson Castellano, RHP

2017 Tyler Kinley, RHP

2016 Justin Haley, RHP

2014 J.R. Graham, RHP

2012 Ryan Pressly, RHP

2011 Terry Doyle, RHP

2010 Scott Diamond, LHP

2008 Jason Jones, RHP

2006 Alejandro Machado, IF

2005 Jason Pridie, OF

The Twins now have 38 players on their 40-man roster: 22 pitchers, three catchers, five infielders, five outfielders and three utility players.

Additionally, the Twins selected the following players in the minor league phase: right-handed pitcher Trent Baker (Round 1, STL Double-A), infielder Miguel Briceno (Round 2, MIL Double-A) and catcher Jefferson Valladares (Round 3, LAD Rookie).

The Twins lost the following player in the minor league phase: right-handed pitcher Taylor Floyd (Round 2, SEA).