SAN FRANCISCO – Former Red Sox pitching prospect Noah Song was designated for assignment Saturday, throwing his future into limbo while holding open the possibility that he could return to the Red Sox organization.
Song, who was taken by the Red Sox in last December’s Rule 5 draft, was finishing a rehab assignment which came to a close Saturday. The Phillies had to choose between selecting him for their active roster or designating him for assignment and chose the latter.
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The Phillies have until Tuesday’s trade deadline to trade Song elsewhere. An acquiring team would be under the traditional Rule 5 obligations: they would have to keep Song on their active major league roster (or IL) for the remainder of the 2023 season.
If Song isn’t dealt by the deadline, he would be placed on waivers and be available to be claimed. If he goes unclaimed, the Phillies would have to offer him back to the Red Sox for $25,000, or half what they paid to draft him from the Red Sox at the winter meetings.
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Song was once considered one of the most intriguing pitching prospects in the Red Sox organization, having been chosen in the fourth round from the Naval Academy in 2019 while possessing first-round talent. After he pitched a season of rookie ball in Lowell, Song was deployed to flight school. He subsequently asked to serve in the Navy Reserves in order to continue his baseball career, a request which was denied.
In something of a surprise, the Phillies chose him in last December’s Rule 5 draft, and two months later, Song was finally granted his request to serve in the reserves and continue pursuing his baseball career. A back injury in spring training set him back, and the Phils placed him on the 60-day IL.
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In eight appearances – all in relief – in the Phillies’ system on his rehab assignment, Song was 1-0 with a 7.36 ERA. Unsurprisingly, his command was off, having not pitched competitively since 2019.
Song was once thought to have a ceiling of a No. 3 or No. 4 starter with an explosive fastball that could touch 99 mph and an above-average slider.
It remains to be seen whether he can regain that level of performance again, given his long layoff and subsequent physical setbacks.
