Royals Review · Dec 6, 2023
Royals select pitcher Matt Sauer in the Rule 5 draft
Photo by Jennifer Stewart/MLB Photos via Getty ImagesThe Royals selected pitcher Matt Sauer from the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft on Wednesday, adding him to the 40-man roster. He must remain on the active MLB roster all season or be offered back to the Yankees.
The 24-year-old California native was a second-round pick by the Yanks out of high school in 2017. He has consistently put up strong strikeout numbers in the minors as a starter, but has also battled injuries. This year he was limited to just 74 innings, posting a 3.42 ERA in Double-A with 10.9 strikeouts-per-nine innings.
Baseball America included Sauer in their Rule 5 draft preview coverage, writing: