Rule 5 Pick Anyelo Gomez Has Big League Stuff

The Braves’ bullpen may appear to be crowded heading into 2018, but that didn’t stop the organization from selecting righthander Anyelo Gomez in the Rule 5 draft.

The native of Dominican Republic had a breakout year in the Yankees organizations in 2017. Gomez focused his time at Double-A Trenton but appeared at all four full-season levels and recorded a cumulative 1.72 ERA, .199 opponent average and strikeout rate of 10.6 per nine innings.

Atlanta had positive scouting reports on Gomez from the past two seasons. According to assistant general manager Perry Minasian, major league scout Rick Williams was impressed upon seeing Gomez, who will be 25 next season, multiple times this year in the Dominican League.

“He has a good arm. (He throws a) plus fastball with a changeup that plays,” Minasian said. “He’s got a chance to be a quality reliever. We’ll see how he looks in spring training.”

Gomez has touched the upper 90s consistently with his fastball and was throwing in the low to mid-90s in the DL this winter. He also has developed an above-average changeup with good depth that he mixes well with his heater. He does a good job of keeping the ball in the park by allowing just two home runs in 70.1 innings in 2017.

The Yankees signed Gomez as a 19-year-old in November 2012. He spent his first two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and did not see significant activity at the full-season level until 2016, when he split time starting and relieving at low Class A Charleston.

Gomez showed promise in the South Atlantic League by striking out 76 in 76.1 innings, which set the stage for a breakout in 2017. He notched nine saves in 20 appearances at two Class A levels before moving up to Double-A on June 23. He concluded the campaign by pitching two innings at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and retiring all six batters he faced.

As a Rule 5 draft pick, Gomez must remain on the Braves’ 25-man roster for the entire 2018 season.