Nationals take chance on Menlo grad Griff McGarry

The Phillies opted to leave McGarry off their 40-man roster. That’s when the team based in the current U.S. capital came calling, as the Washington Nationals selected McGarry in the major league portion of Wednesday’s MLB Rule 5 draft.

“Definitely an exciting day [Wednesday],” McGarry said. “Kind of a whirlwind. But for my career’s sake, this could be a really big opportunity, and I’m really excited about the Nationals.”

McGarry — a San Carlos native and 2017 graduate of Menlo School — was the third player selected in the Rule 5 draft. Right-handed pitcher RJ Petit was taken by the Colorado Rockies from the Detroit Tigers with the first pick, and right-hander Jedixson Paez was taken by the Chicago White Sox from the Boston Red Sox.

With the fourth pick, the Minnesota Twins selected catcher Daniel Susac from the Athletics, then traded Susac to the San Francisco Giants for minor league catcher Miguel Caraballo and cash.

The Rule 5 draft is held annually on the final day of the Winter Meetings, and is designed to prevent teams from burying veteran minor leaguers in their farm systems. It allows teams to take players from other teams’ minor league systems, and give them opportunities to compete for major league roster spots in Spring Training. In order to retain a Rule 5 draftee, a team must keep the player on its major league roster for the entire season, or offer the player back to his original team.

“I felt pretty confident that I might get an opportunity somewhere else,” McGarry said. “So, I’m super excited to get this opportunity and I just want to make the most of it with the Nationals.”

McGarry, 26, was drafted in 2021 by the Phillies in the fifth round out of University of Virginia. The 6-2 right-hander was a bona fide starting pitcher out of college, and, after a short stint as a Triple-A reliever in 2022, returned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2023 as a starter. Then came an ill-fated experiment in 2024 when the Phillies moved McGarry to the bullpen, where he made 29 appearances for Lehigh Valley and posted a rocky 4.70 ERA while recording a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.11 (40 strikeouts and 36 walks) through 30 2/3 innings.

In 2025, McGarry made 21 appearances, all as a starting pitcher, posting a 3.44 ERA over three different levels with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.53 (124 strikeouts and 49 walks) over 83 2/3 innings. Seventeen of his starts came at Double-A after missing nearly six weeks through April and May due to an elbow ailment.

Then came his return to Triple-A for Lehigh Valley’s final series of the season. McGarry made his final start of the season Sept. 18, and was brilliant through five innings of work, allowing one run on one hit and two walks, while striking out eight to earn the win. The appearance was so successful, it left him wishing there was more season to play.

“I definitely wanted to keep the ball rolling,” McGarry said. “That’s the funny thing. I felt like at that point I was kind of hitting my stride. But it had to end, and I went into the offseason very, very motivated.”

Making his home in Jupiter, Florida since he turned pro, McGarry will now be able to sleep in his own bed during Spring Training, with the Nationals making their spring home 20 miles away in West Palm Beach.

With a Rule 5 draft pick usually competing for the final spot on a team’s roster, McGarry said he doesn’t care what his role is with the Nationals. Having yet to reach the big leagues, the 26-year-old right-hander only wants a shot.

“For me, I just want to contribute,” McGarry said. “I think I can be a valuable piece for them and I see a future with them. So, whatever they want from me and they need me to do, I will compete at the highest level.”