All the details you need to know about pitcher Noah Song and his future for the upcoming 2023 MLB season.
This is a very interesting time for the tale of Noah Song, a 25-year-old pitcher who hasn’t pitched professionally since he was in Low-A ball in 2019. Song is now able to play professional baseball while he is still serving in the Navy since he has been moved from active service to the selected reserves. According to the latest information coming out of Phillies camp, it appears like he will be reporting to the team on Thursday.
Song was selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round in 2019 after coming out of the Naval Academy. After signing with the team, he pitched in the minors, but he had to complete his obligation to the military first.
At that time, Song submitted an application to the Department of Defense for a waiver that would allow him to skip out on his military duty in order to pursue a career in professional baseball; however, he was not granted the dispensation.
Despite Dave Dombrowski’s decision, Song was still on track to remain with the Navy after he was selected by the Phillies in the Rule 5 draft last December. During the time that he was on active duty for the military, Song remained a member of the Red Sox organization until he was picked up by the Phillies.
Song may now remain on the disabled list until Opening Day, at which point the Phillies are required to add him to their active roster because he was a Rule 5 pick. If the Phillies do not keep him on their major league roster and do not demote him to the minors, he will be placed on waivers and may be claimed by the Red Sox. If this occurs, the Phillies will lose him.
Noah Song is overjoyed to learn that he will, at long last, get the opportunity to perform, and he is resolved to make the most of this golden opportunity.
Song said, “I’m pretty excited because I was able to accomplish everything I wanted. I said all along I wanted to serve and I also wanted to pursue my dream of reaching the major leagues,” Song told the Capital Gazette. “I think it’s a win-win all around.”
He added, “I think managing expectations will be pretty important; I have truly taken three years off from pitching competitively, I don’t know what my new ceiling will be, but it will be fun to start working hard and find out.”
When Song pitched for Class-A Lowell in 2019, he made seven starts and finished with a 1.06 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched. This occurred in the same year that he finished his senior year at Navy with a record of 11-1, a 1.44 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and 161 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched.
At the time, scouting reports stated that he had a fastball that ranged from the low to the mid-90s and a slider that was ready for the major leagues. The fact that he was about to enter the military caused him to fall out of the first round of talent evaluations and into the fourth round instead.
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