NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have selected minor league right-handed pitcher Matthew Sauer from the New York Yankees with the 2nd pick in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. Kansas City’s Major League Reserve List is now at 40.
Sauer, 24, went 6-5 across three levels of the Yankees minor league system in 2023, reaching as high as Double-A Somerset, where he appeared in 14 games (13 starts) and posted a 3.42 ERA (26 ER in 68.1 IP) with 83 strikeouts (29.5 K%, 10.9 K/9) and 29 walks (10.3 BB%, 3.8 BB/9). The 6-foot-4 right hander also pitched in 9 games during the Arizona Fall League and struck out 18 batters over 10.2 innings pitched.
For his career, he has gone 19-25 with a 4.22 ERA (179 ER in 381.2 IP), 419 strikeouts (25.4%, 9.9 K/9) and 155 walks (9.4 BB%, 3.7 BB/9) across 83 games (80 starts) in the Yankees system.
Sauer was originally selected by the Yankees in the 2nd round of the 2017 Draft out of Righetti HS (Calif.).
