In 2005, there was a player who did not make a team in April and actually stayed in extended Spring Training until June. Due to an injury, he got a call up to a low A team. Had a nice 2nd half hitting just over .280 while playing 2B. But he was still very low on the prospect list for in the organization and being in his 5th year, he needed to be protected by the club.
When he was not on the 40 man come December, he was a lower round Rule V pick by an organization known to have major gaps in the quality of minor league position players. In 2006 he had a huge season repeating low A and then was moved to the outfield.
On Wednesday, he had his first AB in MLB while most every player ahead of him in 2005 remains log jammed amongst the depth of talent in the former organization.
Milb can be truly fascinating. A player can spend 5 years with a club and still be a role player at low A in a system loaded with depth. He gets out of that through the Rule V, and in 2 years is swinging the bat at the major league level.
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