December 13, 2004
Cardinals Rule 5 Triple and Double-A Results
By Brian Walton
Following the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft on Monday, 51 players were selected in the Triple-A part ($12,500) of the draft and another dozen at the Double-A ($5,000) level. The Cardinals were busy, selecting three players while losing two.
The 21st pick in the Triple-A phase was 3rd baseman Antonio Granadillo, who was taken by the Red Sox off the Tennessee roster. Granadillo split the season between Johnson City and New Jersey, and hit .297 combined.
The 23rd pick went to the Cardinals, who selected second baseman Mathew Demarco from Florida. Demarco, 24, has already played eight seasons of minor league ball for three different organizations. He was an 11th round pick of the Dodgers in 1998. Demarco ended the 2004 season in Double-A, where he hit .273 with 45 RBI in 379 at-bats. He is a career .261 hitter.
At pick #40, the Cardinals took right handed starter Jose Garcia from Texas. Garcia had mixed results in 2004. In the California League (A), he registered an ERA of 7.00 in 72 innings. Joining the Midwest League, Garcia delivered a 2.89 ERA in 56-2/3 innings. The 23-year-old Venezuelan reached Double-A with the Rangers in 2003 after pitching at Single-A for the Yankees. He was part of the Alfonso Soriano trade.
Right hander Josh Teekel was taken from Tennessee by Florida at selection #50. Teekel, 24, started for Palm Beach after missing the 2003 season. He was the Cards’ sixth round pick back in 1999.
In the Double-A phase, the Cards lost no players and selected one. That is right hander Justin Knoff from the Cincinnati organization. He struck out 23 in 27 innings this past season, posting an ERA of 2.00. Knoff pitched in relief and ended the season in the Midwest League. Knoff, 23, was the Reds’ 30th round selection in the 2002 amateur draft.
