Tigers Select Lefty Reliever Daniel Stumpf In Rule 5 Draft
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
The Tigers weren't necessarily "aggressive" in the Rule 5 Draft - as Al Avila said they would be - but they did pick up a potential bullpen arm.
Detroit selected left-handed reliever Daniel Stumpf from the Kansas City Royals in the first round (20th overall).
Stumpf, who will be 26 at the start of the next season, was selected in last year's Rule 5 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. But after posting a 10.80 ERA and 2.20 WHIP over seven outings, the Phillies returned him to the Royals.
He performed well in Double-A to close out the season, recording a 2.11 ERA and a .844 WHIP over 14 outings.
Stumpf features a fastball that sits between 90-93 MPH, complimented by an above-average slider. He also occasionally throws a changeup.
A product of San Jancito College, Stumpf was originally drafted by the Royals in the ninth round of the 2012 amateur draft. He is the 39th player on Detroit's 40-man roster.