Astros Waive 25-Year-Old Pitcher Acquired in Rule 5 Draft

The Cincinnati Reds can now reclaim Roddery Munoz after the Astros give up on the young right-hander.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 7:43pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes in muted earth tones, conceptually representing the complex roster decisions teams face with Rule 5 Draft selections.The Astros' decision to waive a young pitcher acquired in the Rule 5 Draft reflects the high-risk, high-reward nature of the annual offseason roster shuffle.Cincinnati Today

The Houston Astros have waived 25-year-old pitcher Roddery Munoz, whom they selected from the Cincinnati Reds in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft. Munoz, a right-hander from the Dominican Republic, has a career 7.10 ERA in 30 Major League appearances. The Reds can now reclaim Munoz, as per Rule 5 Draft rules.

Why it matters

The Rule 5 Draft allows teams to take players from other organizations, but those players must remain on the active roster for the full season or be offered back to their original team. The Astros took a chance on Munoz, but his struggles have led them to give up on him after just one season, opening the door for the Reds to potentially regain the young pitcher.

The details

Munoz, a 25-year-old right-hander, was selected by the Astros from the Reds in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft. He has a career 7.10 ERA in 30 Major League appearances over the past few seasons. The Astros gave Munoz a chance to make their roster, but he was unable to find success at the big league level, leading the team to ultimately waive him.

  • Munoz was selected by the Astros in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft.
  • The Astros have now waived Munoz after one season with the team.

The players

Roddery Munoz

A 25-year-old right-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic who was selected by the Houston Astros from the Cincinnati Reds in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft.

Houston Astros

The Major League Baseball team that selected Roddery Munoz in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft and has now waived him after one season.

Cincinnati Reds

The Major League Baseball team that originally had Roddery Munoz in their minor league system and can now potentially reclaim him after the Astros waived him.

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What’s next

The Cincinnati Reds now have the opportunity to reclaim Roddery Munoz, as per the rules of the Rule 5 Draft.

The takeaway

The Rule 5 Draft allows teams to take flyers on players from other organizations, but those players must remain on the active roster for the full season or be offered back to their original team. The Astros' decision to waive Munoz after just one year shows the risk and reward nature of the Rule 5 process.