Photo by Ed Delany, MMO

The Mets gained a pitcher (for a few minutes) and lost another in Thursday morning’s virtual Rule 5 Draft.

The club selected Luis Oviedo from the Cleveland Indians with the ninth overall pick and traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations.

Three picks later, the San Francisco Giants plucked RHP Dedniel Nunez from the Mets. A late international signing in 2016, he had a nice run in the first half of 2019 between Columbia and St. Lucie before getting shut down with a shoulder injury.

Rule 5 picks must remain on their new team’s major league roster for the entire 2021 season, or else their original team can re-claim him.

Here’s what Baseball America wrote about Nunez in ranking him as the Mets’ 21st-best prospect:

Nuñez stands out most for his fastball, which he throws 92-96 mph with an elite spin rate in excess of 2,600 revolutions per minute. The pitch averages 93 mph and has natural cutting action that makes it difficult for opponents to square up. Nuñez’s slurvy breaking ball averages about 80 mph and grades as an average pitch. He shows some feel for a changeup that grades near average. While Nuñez throws three pitches at or near average, he lacks a true out pitch, which puts his upside potential in doubt. His ability to execute pitches effectively is also hampered by a wrist wrap and wandering release point.

As expected, the Mets cleaned up in the minor league phase by making five selections. Unlike picks in the major league phase, minor league Rule 5 picks do not carry any roster restrictions.

In the first round, the Mets grabbed an Astros centerfielder, though not the one who’s been in the news recently. Drew Ferguson hit .281/.395/.440 with 27 stolen bases in Triple-A in 2019.

In the second round, they grabbed RHP Justin Dillon from the Blue Jays. He had a 4.21 ERA between High-A and Double-A in 2019.

In the third round, the Mets took infielder Drew Jackson from the Dodgers, a former top prospect with the Mariners who briefly reached the majors with the Orioles in 2019.

Their fourth-round pick was RHP Jesus Reyes from the Reds. After making five major league appearances in 2018, Reyes posted a 5.03 ERA in Triple-A in 2019.

The Mets’ fifth and final minor league pick was LHP Jose Zorrilla, whose professional track record consists of three seasons in the Dominican Summer League and an 8.84 ERA in the rookie-level Pioneer League.

The expectations for a minor league Rule 5 pick are astronomically low, though there are some success stories. 2018 Mets selection Chris Mazza ended up reaching the majors the following year. At the very least, it’s a cheap way to add depth to your system.

The Mets also lost four players who they left unprotected in the minor league phase. SS Sebastian Espino (Blue Jays), C Wilfred Astudillo (Reds), RHP Ezequiel Zabaleta (Rays), and 2B Mitchell Tolman (Giants) are headed elsewhere.