Reed Garrett ’15 Selected in Rule 5 Draft

Reed Garrett ’15, former VMI pitcher, was selected in the Major League Baseball Rule 5 draft by the Detroit Tigers organization Dec. 13, 2018. Garrett had been a part of the Texas Rangers minor-league system the last five seasons. Garrett was the fifth pick in the first round of the major-league portion of the Rule 5 draft. This means that he will have to stay on the Tigers’ 25-man major league roster for the entire season or be offered back to the Rangers for $50,000.

Garrett, a 16th-round draft pick for Texas in 2014, played at two levels for the Rangers farm system in 2018. The right-hander served as the teams’ closer at both of those stops. Garrett had a 1.69 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 42.2 innings at AA Frisco, with a 3-1 record and 16 saves. He finished the season at AAA Round Rock, totaling 19 innings, a 2.84 ERA and five saves.

Held each December, the Rule 5 Draft allows clubs without a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs. Clubs draft in reverse order of the standings from the previous season.

Garrett had a 3.29 ERA in three seasons with VMI in 23 starts and 56 appearances. He really came on as a junior, earning second-team Big South honors with a 2.23 ERA, tossing a no-hitter against Lafayette University with one walk and 13 strikeouts. He was also a three-year G. Gilmer Minor III ’63 Annual Scholarship recipient.