During the 2017-2018 offseason, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a deal to acquire one of the top relief pitching prospects in baseball in Nick Burdi. The team acquired Burdi in a very nontraditional way. To start his career, Burdi was selected in the second round during the 2014 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins.
Then, during the 2017-18 offseason the Philadelphia Phillies made Burdi the top overall pick in the Rule V draft. After the draft, it was quickly announced that the team from Eastern Pennsylvania was sending him West to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The reason Burdi was available was that he underwent Tommy-John surgery during the 2016 season.