The most difficult roster choice for each club before the Rule 5 Draft
Teams must establish their 40-man rosters and safeguard players for the Rule 5 Draft, which takes place on December 6 at the Winter Meetings, by Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. Here, we’ve tracked the ranked prospects who meet the requirements of Rule 5 for each organization.
Adael Amador, a middle infielder for the Rockies (ranked No. 21), is the first of six Top 100 Prospects who need protection. All six are almost certain to be added to 40-man rosters prior to the deadline. However, many choices won’t be nearly that simple.
Below, we’ve identified a difficult decision for each organization. We selected a ranked prospect for the most part, but on occasion we went with a player who made a big impression in the recently finished Arizona Fall League season.
Van Eyk was a second-round selection in 2020 by Florida State, but he missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2021. This summer, he only played 34 1/3 innings. However, in the Fall Stars Game, he demonstrated one of the best curveballs in the AFL, recording a 2.51 ERA and striking out three batters with three different pitches in one inning of work.
Hudson Haskin, OF, Orioles (Page 17)
Haskin, the Orioles’ second-round selection in 2020, did make it to Triple-A this past season, but he only participated in 33 games due to a hip impingement that needed to be surgically repaired and a hamstring injury. While battling to maintain his health, he has only displayed glimmers of his potential thus far. However, there are some tools here that have some power and speed. It might be difficult given the depth of the Orioles’ outfield.
Heriberto Hernandez, OF (No. 18) for the Rays
Hernandez, who was acquired by the Rays in December 2020 as part of the Nathaniel Lowe trade, possesses some of the best power and exit velocities in the team’s history. However, in Double-A, as a 23-year-old, he also only hit.249/.376/.411 with 13 home runs and didn’t provide much defensive value.
Allan Castro, OF, Red Sox (No. 30)
Castro, a switch-hitter from the Dominican Republic, signed a $100,000 contract in 2019. He has good bat-to-ball ability and a sound approach at the plate. He may be more of a tweener than a regular and hit because he is still only 20.With 19 steals at two Class A stops, he has a 261/.368/.405, so the Red Sox should be able to sneak him past the Rule 5 Draft.
Elijah Dunham, OF, Yankees (No. 30)
After signing as a nondrafted free agent in 2020 out of Indiana, Dunham quickly established himself as a favorite within the organization. In 2021, he was named the Arizona Fall League’s breakout player of the year. Though he batted.227/.330/.389 with 16 home runs and 35 steals between Double-A and Triple-A, he doesn’t have a better than average tool.
Guardians: No. 25’s Dayan Frias, INF
Frias is one of the best and most versatile defenders in the Guardians system because of his quick hands. He hit.260/.356/.426 with 11 home runs in High-A after signing a $80,000 contract out of Colombia in 2018. Cleveland has other infield prospects with higher offensive ceilings, so he might not be protected.
Dukes: Devin
Mann, 26, lacks a standout tool and was part of the Dodgers’ trade package for Ryan Yarbrough at the Trade Deadline. Conversely, he batted in left field and covered all four infield positions.20 home runs and a.387/.502 slash line in Triple-A
Keider Montero, RHP (No. 26) for the Tigers
After having the best season of his career—leading the Minors with 15 victories, registering a 4.66 ERA with 160 strikeouts in 127 1/3 innings, and moving up to Triple-A—Montero was not chosen in the 2020, 2021, or 2022 Rule 5 Drafts. He was a 2016 $40,000 signee out of Venezuela who uses a strong slider, a high-spin curveball, and a fastball that reaches 92–95 mph.
Austin Martin, 2B/OF, is a Twin. As No. 20
The Twins acquired the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 Draft via the significant José Berríos trade at the 2022 Trade Deadline. He can still hit for a lot of contact, draw walks, and run, but efforts to consistently get him to drive the ball for extra bases have fallen on deaf ears. He did swing the bat a little better in Triple-A late in the season (1.004 OPS in August 2023), but the lack of impact puts this one in doubt. An elbow injury sidelined him for a spell in 2023.
Matthew Thompson, RHP (No. 22) for the White Sox
In the 2019 and 2020 Drafts, the White Sox invested $7.1 million on high school righties Andrew Dalquist, Jared Kelley, and Thompson; however, that money hasn’t yet paid off. Although Thompson, a Texas high school product selected in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft, has a 4.85 ERA, led the Southern League in walks while striking out 136 batters in 124 1/3 Double-A innings. He also flashes a plus fastball and curveball.
Angel Number Nine: Jack Kochanowicz, RHP
In 2019, the Angels paid a premium to sign Kochanowicz, who had just graduated from high school in Pennsylvania. Since then, his performance and health have not been the best. He throws strikes, but he hasn’t had much success controlling the zone, which has allowed him to be hit. Although his raw stuff and size (6-foot-7) continue to be intriguing, he struggled mightily in Double-A, barely pitching in August and September. However, Kochanowicz** was protected by the Angels, who added him to their 40-man roster almost twenty-four hours prior to Tuesday’s deadline.
Daniels can display raw power and speed well above average, but he has a history of swing-and-miss problems, including a strikeout rate that will be 31% in 2023. In 84 games, primarily in Double-A, the 2020 Tennessee fourth-round pick hit.277/.349/.462 with 13 home runs and 22 steals.
JT Ginn, RHP (No. 18) is an A.
In the Chris Bassitt trade of 2022, the Mets sent their second-round 2020 draft pick to the A’s, and he hasn’t been able to stay healthy since. He only made 12 appearances in 2022 due to a forearm strain (despite pitching well in the Arizona Fall League that fall), and he only threw 26 2/3 innings in 2023 due to biceps tendinitis. Although his sinker-slider combination could make him an attractive bullpen asset for teams looking to acquire him, he has the stuff to start.
