Reds trade their Rule 5 draft pick to the Royals

Reds manager Bryan Price in the Reds dugout prior to their Opening Day game against the Phillies, Monday, Apr. 3, 2017. GREG LYNCH / STAFF

Reds manager Bryan Price in the Reds dugout prior to their Opening Day game against the Phillies, Monday, Apr. 3, 2017. GREG LYNCH / STAFF

Brad Keller was drafted No.  5 overall in the Rule 5  draft by the Reds, then promptly traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Kansas City Royals.

Keller was a top prospect for the Arizona Diamondbacks, ranked by MLB.com as No. 12 in the whole organization, but he was left off the Diamondbacks 40 man roster last month.

Keller made 26 stars in Double-A, throwing 130 2/3 innings with a 4.68 ERA, and averaging 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings and 3.9 walks. Also involved in the trade were the Mets, who sent Burch Smith to the Royals, who was sidelined for two years following Tommy John surgery. Both the Mets and Reds will receive a player to be named later.

Winter Meetings updates

  • The St. Louis Cardinals quickly shrugged off losing the Giancarlo Stanton sweepstakes when he wouldn't waive his no-trade clause last week. They acquired his teammate Miami Marlins teammate Marcell Ozuna, another all-star outfielder with a big bat. Their other deal Wednesday was to bring back reliever Luke Gregerson, signing him to a two-year $11 million contract. He's coming off his worst year in the majors.
  • Ken Rosenthal reported Steve Cishek, the reliever and former closer, signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. Cishek had a 2.01 ERA, 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.8 walks splitting the season between Seattle and Tampa Bay after a midseason trade.