Rays acquire Mets starting prospect RHP Mike Vasil from Phillies

Vasil was Baseball America’s No. 9 prospect in the Mets system.

After the dust had settles from today’s Rule 5 draft, the Rays surprised this afternoon with the news that they had acquired RHP Mike Vasil from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations.

The 24-yera old Vasil was selected by the Phillies in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft from the New York Mets, making this two unproven Metropolitan prospects heading to Tampa next season. Both Vasil and LHP Lavender must stay on the Rays 26-man roster all of next season to be kept.

Ranked the No. 9 prospect in the Mets system at Baseball America and inside the Top-20 prospects at MLB Pipeline, Vasil is a 50 FV prospect despite a 6.04 ERA in 2024 as a starter (29 G, 27 GS, 134 IP).

Vasil pitches at 93-94 mph and tops near 95 with a four-seam fastball he uses to set up the rest of his repertoire. Like many pitchers contending with the [Automatic Balls & Strikes] system at Triple-A, he had trouble registering called high strikes with the tight zone. Vasil’s mid-to-high-80s slider is his standout offering and grades as plus based on his ability to throw it for strikes or induce chases. He throws his slider both ahead and behind in the count. Vasil’s mid-80s changeup has developed into a trusty chase pitch he uses to try to put away batters. He will drop in an occasional low-80s curveball when ahead in the count.

Vasil’s ability to command all four pitch types to both sides of the plate helps him keep hitters guessing. He is a high-probability starter who might fit at no. 4 or 5 in a rotation. Vasil is poised to make his MLB debut...

[Baseball America]

The Rays are in need of young guns who can go after it in the Florida heat, and have addressed that need twice now at the Winter Meetings, both through the Rule 5 draft, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Vasil is a towering 6’5” that had bone spurs a couple seasons ago but otherwise put injury concerns from his draft profile behind him. It will be interesting to see if the Rays value him more as a starter or reliever, and it might take Spring Training to sort out where they see his profile flourishing.