The Red Sox did not make a selection in this year’s Rule 5 Draft, but the proceedings still carried a distinctly local flavor.

Shane Smith, a Danvers native and a former Governor’s Academy standout, was selected by the Chicago White Sox as the No. 1 overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft. Smith previously pitched in the Milwaukee Brewers minor league system after going undrafted out of Wake Forest, but will now have an opportunity to pitch in the majors.

Mike Vasil, a former BC High and University of Virginia star, was also selected No. 14 by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Though the Red Sox did not make a pick in the major league phase of the draft, they did lose a player.  Angel Bastardo, a 22-year-old right-hander who spent all of 2024 at Double-A Portland, was selected No. 6 by the Toronto Blue Jays. By rule Bastardo and every other player selected must now spend all of the upcoming season on their new team’s big league roster, otherwise they must be offered back to their original club.

The purpose of the Rule 5 Draft is to provide big league opportunities for minor leaguers who might be blocked in their current organization. Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten were two recent Rule 5 selections who went on to enjoy fast success upon their arrivals in Boston.

The Red Sox were active in the Rule 5 Draft’s minor league phase, acquiring right-handers Hobie Harris (New York Mets), Darvin Garcia (Pittsburgh) and Jack Anderson (Detroit), and left-hander Manuel Medina (Miami) while losing outfielders Bryan Gonzalez (Kansas City), Eduardo Lopez (Philadelphia) and Miguel Ugueto (St. Louis), and right-hander Robert Kwiatkowski (Chicago Cubs).