Noah Song, a 2019 Red Sox draft pick, has spent the past three years serving on active duty for the Navy and hasn’t played in a professional baseball game during that time.
The Department of Defense denied his request for a waiver in 2019 that would have allowed him to play with Boston, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Song was considered to have first-round talent, but fell to the Red Sox in the fourth round because of his military commitment, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe.
This week, Noah Song’s military status was transferred from active duty to selected reserves, allowing him to play professional baseball again.