The San Francisco Giants made a quiet trade in August that brought them a promising relief prospect, Ryan Watson. However, just a few months later, they risk losing him in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
Watson, previously with the Baltimore Orioles for his entire professional career, was left unprotected by the Giants for the draft, which takes place next month in Dallas. Baseball America recently highlighted him as a potential selection, noting his extensive Triple-A experience and his readiness for a Major League role in 2025.
This season, Watson transitioned to a full-time reliever, showcasing an impressive slider (82–84 mph) that evaluators believe will attract teams. His background as a former starter gives him a well-rounded repertoire, including a four-seam fastball that reaches 94 mph, a two-seam fastball, and a splitter.
The Giants acquired Watson from Baltimore for cash, and after a brief stint at Class-A San Jose, he joined Triple-A Sacramento, where he excelled in the final stretch. Over 10 appearances, he recorded three holds, struck out 13 batters, and walked five in 11.1 innings, all without factoring into a decision. His overall 2024 performance across four affiliates included a 3-1 record, a 2.83 ERA, 36 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 35 innings.
Watson originally signed with the Orioles as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn after the shortened 2020 MLB Draft. He has experience both as a starter and a reliever, with his ERA of 2.83 last season marking a career-best. In 2022, while still with Baltimore, he went 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 27 games (18 starts), striking out 100 and walking 29 in 107.1 innings.
Over his career, the 27-year-old has a 20-14 record, a 4.12 ERA, 305 strikeouts, and 104 walks in 294.1 innings. Despite his potential to contribute at the MLB level next season, the Giants’ decision to leave him unprotected raises questions. If unselected in the Rule 5 Draft, Watson will remain with the Giants.
The Rule 5 Draft requires teams to add eligible players to their 40-man roster within a set timeframe—five years for those signed at age 18 or younger and four years for those signed at age 19 or older—or risk losing them to other clubs.
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