The MLB Rule 5 Draft, not to be confused with the MLB Amateur Draft which took place in July, provides teams across the league the ability to select minor-league players to place on their roster for the following season.
This offseason’s draft comes at 11:00 a.m. PT on Wednesday.
To qualify for this season’s Rule 5 Draft, a player must have turned professional at 18 or younger in 2021 or 19 or older in 2022 and must also not be on a 40-man roster.
The team which drafts a player must pay their former team $100,000 and keep that player on their MLB roster throughout the entirety of the following season. The player must clear waivers and be offered to their original team for half of his Draft price should his new team try to send him to the minor leagues.
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Unlike the MLB Amateur Draft, which is decided by a lottery, the Rule 5 Draft order is the reverse order of the standings from the previous season.
For instance, the Colorado Rockies had the worst record in baseball, therefore will have the first pick in the Rule 5 draft.
MLB teams chose 15 players in last season’s Rule 5 Draft, and only three remained with their new team throughout the season: Shane Smith of the White Sox, Liam Hicks of the Marlins and Angel Bastardo of the Blue Jays.
The Dodgers, after their signing of All-Star closer Edwin Diaz, have one spot left on their 40-man roster, meaning they’re eligible to make one selection during the Rule 5 Draft. While not every player out of the Rule 5 Draft pans out, there have been plenty of success stories out of the draft.
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Johan Santana is one such player, having accrued 51.7 WAR in the major leagues after being taken in the Rule 5 Draft. Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente also famously went to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Rule 5 Draft.
There is plenty of talent in this season’s Rule 5 Draft, with MLB.com naming Blue Jays outfielder Yohendrick Pinango, Braves right-hander Blake Burkhalter, Red Sox right-hander Yordanny Monegro, Marlins right-hander Zach McCambley, Angels pitchers Samy Natera Jr. and Jared Southard, and Yankees reliever Harrison Cohen as players to watch.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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