Rockies select LHP Danny Rosenbaum in Rule 5 Draft, Lose RHP Coty Woods

Armed with the third pick in the Rule 5 draft, the Rockies broke from their mold of abstaining from the process to select 24-year-old left-handed starter Danny Rosenbaum in the Rule 5 draft this morning.

Selected as a 22nd round pick in 2009 out of Xavier, Rosenbaum slowly rose in the Nationals organization, starting at the rookie level at age 21. He has been a little old for his level at each stop, including his age of 24 in AA in 2012, but he has gotten good results throughout his career.

In four minor league seasons, covering 89 appearances and 84 starts, Rosenbaum has a 2.84 ERA. He does not have strikeout stuff but has consistently avoided home runs and walks while inducing ground balls on greater than half his batted balls against. The 6'1" southpaw turned 25 in October, which should calm doubts of an overly green young player of being starstruck on the big stage.

MinorLeagueBall's John Sickels rated Rosenbaum as the Nationals' 11th prospect last offseason, penning this:

11) Dan Rosenbaum, LHP, Grade C+: Nice sinker from the left side, good breaking ball, changeup coming along, has very quietly built a strong statistical history. Possible back-of-rotation starter or useful relief option in a year or two.

Rosenbaum will compete for a bullpen job vacated by Matt Reynolds. Josh Outman had been penciled in as the second lefty in the bullpen, joining Rex Brothers, but this move allows Outman to start, or for Colorado to have three lefties in their pen.

Colorado also lost RHP Coty Woods from their AAA bullpen. Woods went to arguably the one team that has focused most on their bullpen - the Texas Rangers - which could increase the chances he is returned to the Rockies in 2013. Woods was the Rockies' 33rd round pick in 2009 and utilized a sidearm delivery with strong velocity to rocket up the system. After opening the season with a 0.76 ERA in 38 games in AA Tulsa, Woods struggled to a 7.40 ERA in AAA.

Woods was ranked #32 in the Spring edition of the Purple Row PuRPs list but was unranked in the fall.

As a reminder, the Rockies paid the Nationals $50,000 to select Rosenbaum and now must have him on their 25-man roster (or the disabled list) for the entirety of the 2013 to maintain his services in 2014. If they cannot, he can be waived for free or offered back to the Nationals for $25,000. The reverse is true with Coty Woods, so the Rockies essentially did not move their budget with the Rule 5 draft.

The last player Colorado selected in the Rule 5 draft was utility man Luis Gonzalez, who remains the only Rockie since Mike Lansing to start at second base on Opening Day more than once.

UPDATE

We have some more recent scouting reports on Rosenbaum

Jim Callis, Baseball America:

3. #Rockies: Daniel Rosenbaum, lhp. Command specialist w/solid changeup, 84-90 mph fastball, fringy curve. #Rule5 (JC)

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) December 6, 2012

John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall:

Colorado Rockies: Dan Rosenbaum, LHP, Washington Nationals: This 25-year-old southpaw was drafted out of Xavier University in the 22nd round in 2009, but has performed well throughout his career. He posted a 3.94 ERA with a 99/39 K/BB and a 2.29 GO/AO in 155 innings for Double-A Harrisburg this year. His velocity is average but his fastball sinks and he gets plenty of grounders. He also has a solid curveball and average changeup. He could be useful as a fifth starter or a relief option. CHANCE TO STICK: High.