Cleveland Indians Select Washington Nationals Pitcher In Rule 5 Draft

The 2017 Major League Rule 5 Draft was held this morning in Orlando, Florida, as Cleveland added one player to the organization while losing three others.

In the Triple-A phase, the Indians selected LHP ROBERT "R.C." ORLAN from the Washington Nationals organization. Orlan, 27, has spent all five seasons of his career in the Nationals farm system since being selected in the 30th round of the 2012 June draft out of the University of North Carolina, going 13-18 with a 3.81 ERA across 144 relief appearances and 12 starts (281.0IP, 256H, 134R-119ER, 130BB, 289SO, 26HR). In 2017, the southpaw combined to make 44 relief appearances between High-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg. Orlan, a Virginia native, also pitched in two games as a member of Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

 The Indians also had three minor league players selected by other clubs, including RHP Jordan Milbrath by Pittsburgh (Major League phase), OF Junior Soto by New York-AL (AAA phase, Rd 1) and INF Ivan Castillo by Toronto (AAA phase, Rd 3).