Alex Cora ‘Excited’ To Have Former Prospect Back With Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox got back a pitching prospect Friday that first belonged to them.

Noah Song returned to the Red Sox organization after being designated for assignment by the Philadelphia Phillies last week and clearing waivers. The Phillies swiped Song in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft in December, but the right-hander ended up making just eight appearances in Philadelphia's farm system after dealing with a back injury.

The Red Sox were high on Song, a highly touted pitcher from the Naval Academy, when they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft. Song showed well in his short season debut that year with the Lowell Spinners -- 1.06 ERA in seven starts -- before military service obligations stopped him from playing baseball for the next three seasons.

Song is now 26 years old, but the Red Sox are still eager to see how he can develop moving forward.

"Everybody's excited," manager Alex Cora told reporters prior to Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. "Obviously, the Rule 5 is the Rule 5. And the Phillies, they took a chance on him. They're in a spot right now that they need roster spots and they decided to go this route and now he's going to be here. I think with him it's more about repetitions than anything else. He's very talented, very disciplined."

The Phillies were racing against the clock to promote Song to the majors, something they needed to do since he was a Rule 5 pick. Song made it to Triple-A Leigh Valley, but struggled, allowing six runs in 3 1/3 innings.

He'll have more time to make progress now after having substantial time off from pitching. Cora didn't reveal where Song will report to in Boston's minor league system, but The Boston Globe's Alex Speier and The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reported he is heading to High-A Greenville.

"Wherever he goes, he gets into his routine, get back to playing baseball, not having the pressure of the whole like needs to be up an all that," Cora said. "Not knowing him, but you know, just thinking about the whole process over there. Now he's in a place that he's very well-liked and hopefully it works out."