In the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, the New York Yankees did not lose any players from their Triple-A roster, a reversal from last year when they lost three prospects. While 14 teams made selections in the major-league portion, the Yankees opted not to pick any players despite having room on their 40-man roster. In the minor-league portion, the Yankees lost four players but gained outfielder Luis Durango from the Guardians.
The 2024 MLB Rule 5 Draft is underway, with the Chicago Cubs selecting infielder Gage Workman from the Detroit Tigers in the Major League phase. Workman, a top-30 prospect, must now be kept on the Cubs' 26-man roster for the 2025 season. The Cubs also lost several players in the Minor League phase, including pitcher Richard Gallardo to the Blue Jays, while acquiring new prospects like Wil Jensen and Nolan Clenney. The Rule 5 Draft allows teams to acquire players not protected on 40-man rosters, with specific rules for retention.
The MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas will feature the Rule 5 Draft on December 11, where teams can select eligible players not on a 40-man roster. The draft prevents talent hoarding by requiring teams to keep selected players on their active roster for a year or return them. Notable past successes include Roberto Clemente and Johan Santana. This year's draft order is based on last season's records, with the Chicago White Sox picking first. Players to watch include Sammy Siani, Miguel Ullola, and Bob Seymour.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have opted not to add any eligible players to their 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft, risking the potential loss of prospects like catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Sammy Siani. Alfonzo, ranked as the Pirates' No. 26 prospect, is a solid defender with offensive potential but faces competition at the catcher position. Siani, though not a top-30 prospect, has shown promise in the Arizona Fall League and could be a depth option for the Pirates if his performance continues to improve.
The Chicago Cubs have added Owen Caissie and Ben Cowles to their 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft, while designating Adbert Alzolay and Brennen Davis for assignment. Alzolay and Davis, both dealing with injury setbacks, could still be re-signed on minor league deals. Caissie, a promising outfielder, and Cowles, a versatile utility player, are expected to contribute in the future. The Cubs face potential losses in the Rule 5 Draft, but it's unlikely due to roster constraints.
The Detroit Tigers have designated infielder Eddys Leonard and relievers Ricky Vanasco and Brendan White for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster for pitchers Chase Lee, Tyler Mattison, and Tyler Owens, ahead of the Rule 5 draft. Leonard, Vanasco, and White were acquired through trades but have limited major league experience. The new additions, Lee, Mattison, and Owens, are promising bullpen arms with strong minor league performances.
The Boston Red Sox are adding right-hander Hunter Dobbins and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia to their 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. Dobbins, a 25-year-old pitcher, had a strong season in Double-A and Triple-A, while 21-year-old Garcia showed power potential across multiple minor league levels. The team will need to clear two spots on their roster to make these additions official.
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and general manager David Stearns met with Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto in an effort to showcase the team, while Yamamoto considers his options. The Mets are hoping to meet with him again when he visits the United States. If they fail to sign Yamamoto, the team will need to find pitching elsewhere. In other news, Pete Alonso is open to signing an extension, Edwin Díaz is fully healthy, and the Mets made a trade during the Rule 5 Draft. The Braves signed utilityman Leury Garcia, the Marlins are listening to offers on their starting pitching, the Phillies are still searching for a starter and reliever, and the Nationals selected shortstop Nasim Nuñez. The Yankees made a major trade, acquiring Juan Soto and Trent Grisham from the Padres. The Diamondbacks signed Eduardo Rodriguez, the Orioles signed Craig Kimbrel, and Shohei Ohtani's decision is expected soon. Red Sox announcer Joe Castiglione won the Ford C. Frick award.
The Baltimore Orioles made the biggest free agent signing at the winter meetings, adding reliever Craig Kimbrel on a one-year contract worth $13 million. The team also has a club option for 2025. The Rule 5 Draft saw the Orioles not select any players, and they also had no players selected from them. The team did make a minor league phase selection, acquiring pitcher Nelvis Ochoa from the Rockies organization. With the winter meetings concluded, attention now turns to other big baseball news, including Shohei Ohtani's decision on where to sign and Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto narrowing down his list.
The Cincinnati Reds were active in the minor league version of the Rule 5 draft, selecting four players and losing one. They added left-handed pitcher T.J. Sikkema, outfielder Alexander Ovalles, infielder Levi Jordan, and right-handed pitcher Brock Bell. The Reds did not make any selections in the big league phase of the draft.
The New York Yankees lost three minor league pitchers, Mitch Spence, Matt Sauer, and Coleman Crow, in the MLB portion of the Rule 5 draft, with Spence going to the Oakland Athletics, Sauer to the Kansas City Royals, and Crow to the Texas Rangers. The Yankees have been heavily impacted by the Rule 5 draft in recent years, with their farmhands accounting for 17% of total picks. Notable players selected from the Yankees in previous drafts include Garrett Whitlock and Trevor Stephan, who have excelled in the big leagues.
The MLB Rule 5 Draft took place, with 10 picks made in the major-league portion. The New York Yankees lost three pitchers, including Mitch Spence and Matt Sauer, who were selected by the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals, respectively. Other notable picks include Anthony Molina by the Colorado Rockies, Shane Drohan by the Chicago White Sox, and Nasim Nuñez by the Washington Nationals. The draft allows teams to select eligible minor-league players who must remain on the big-league roster for the upcoming season.
The Kansas City Royals have selected pitcher Matt Sauer from the New York Yankees in the Rule 5 draft, adding him to their 40-man roster. Sauer, a 24-year-old California native, has shown promise as a starter in the minors but has also dealt with injuries. He must remain on the active MLB roster for the entire season or be offered back to the Yankees. In the minor league portion of the draft, the Royals acquired centerfielder Joe Gray Jr., left-handed pitcher Keylan Killgore, and second baseman Ryan Fitzgerald, while losing pitcher T.J. Sikkema, infielder Clay Dungan, and pitcher Wander Arias.
The 2023 Rule 5 draft took place at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, with teams selecting eligible players who are not on their 40-man roster. The draft order was determined by the 2023 standings, and some notable players changed clubs last year. The draft results include players like RHP Mitch Spence going to the Athletics, RHP Matt Sauer to the Royals, RHP Anthony Molina to the Rockies, LHP Shane Drohan to the White Sox, and SS Nasim Nuñez to the Nationals. The minor league phase of the draft also occurred, with former major leaguers like 1B Seth Beer and RHP Kervin Castro changing teams.
The Oakland Athletics have selected right-hander Mitch Spence from the New York Yankees' Triple-A roster in the Rule 5 Draft. Spence, a 10th round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, had a solid season in Triple-A with a 4.47 ERA and a 5.21 FIP in 29 starts. The A's will have to keep him on their active roster for the entire season or offer him back to the Yankees. A's GM David Forst mentioned that Spence will have a chance to compete for a spot in the rotation or transition to a bullpen role. The Athletics also lost catcher William Simoneit to the Philadelphia Phillies in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft.
