It’s decision time for Major League front offices today.
All 30 teams have until 6 p.m. ET to make decisions about their 40-man rosters. Some prospects will earn a coveted spot, some will not and will thus be eligible to be picked up by another team in the Rule 5 Draft, which will take place at the Winter Meetings in San Diego on Wednesday, Dec. 7.
Players first signed at age 18 or younger must be added to 40-man rosters within five seasons or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 process. Players signed at 19 years or older have to be protected within four seasons. Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. If that player doesn’t stay on the 25-man roster for the full season, he must be offered back to his former team for $50,000.
For this year, that means an international or high school Draft pick signed in 2018 has to be protected. A college player taken in the 2019 Draft is in the same position.
There are 15 players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list who need to be protected or become exposed to the Rule 5 Draft.
Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, O’s (MLB No. 4)
Diego Cartaya, C, Dodgers (No. 8)
Elly De La Cruz, INF, Reds (No. 14)
Marco Luciano, SS, Giants (No. 16)
Noelvi Marte, SS, Reds (No. 17)
Taj Bradley, RHP, Rays (No. 20)
Curtis Mead, 3B, Rays (No. 35)
Michael Busch, 2B, Dodgers (No. 42)
Brennen Davis, OF, Cubs (No. 48)
Owen White, RHP, Rangers (No. 59)
Andy Pages, OF, Dodgers (No. 66)
Orelvis Martinez, SS, Blue Jays (No. 70)
Kevin Alcantara, OF, Cubs (No. 86)
Ceddanne Rafaela, SS, Red Sox (No. 96)
Endy Rodriguez, C, Pirates (No. 97)
It would be surprising if any of these prospects did not end up on 40-man rosters by the deadline. Over the past seven seasons, all 73 Top 100 prospects who were eligible got roster spots:
Below is a list of all 30 teams’ Top 30 prospects who need to be protected to avoid being exposed to the Rule 5 Draft.
+ Indicates that a player has been added to his team’s 40-man roster
Arizona Diamondbacks
Dominic Fletcher, OF (No. 13)
Blaze Alexander, SS (No. 14)
Wilderd Patino, OF (No. 16)
Jorge Barrosa, OF (No. 18)
Dominic Canzone, OF (No. 19)
Conor Grammes, RHP (No. 28)
Atlanta Braves
Braden Shewmake, SS (No. 5)
Victor Vodnik, RHP (No. 9)
Darius Vines, RHP (No. 15)
Brandol Mezquita, OF (No. 20)
Indigo Diaz, RHP (No. 28)
Tanner Gordon, RHP (No. 30)
Baltimore Orioles
Grayson Rodriguez, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 4)
Seth Johnson, RHP (No. 10)
Joey Ortiz, SS (No. 17)
Drew Rom, LHP (No. 19)
Boston Red Sox
Ceddanne Rafaela, SS (No. 3/MLB No. 96)
Brandon Walter, LHP (No. 7)
Chris Murphy, RHP (No. 11)
Eddinson Paulino, SS (No. 13)
Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP (No. 14)
Thad Ward, RHP (No. 15)
Brainer Bonaci, SS (No. 16)
+ Enmanuel Valdez, 2B (No. 18)
Christian Koss, 3B (No. 20)
Wilyer Abreu, OF (No. 23)
Chicago Cubs
Brennen Davis, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 48)
Kevin Alcantara, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 86)
Yohendrick Pinango, OF (No. 18)
Chase Strumpf, 2B (No. 25)
Luis Devers, RHP (No. 26)
Ryan Jensen, RHP (No. 28)
Kohl Franklin, RHP (No. 29)
Cincinnati Reds
Elly De La Cruz, INF (No. 1/MLB No. 14)
Noelvi Marte, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 17)
Brandon Williamson, LHP (No. 6)
Levi Stroudt, RHP (No. 24)
Ivan Johnson, 2B (No. 28)
Colorado Rockies
Warming Bernabel, 3B (No. 8)
Grant Lavigne, 1B (No. 13)
Juan Guerrero, OF (No. 17)
Brenton Doyle, OF (No. 21)
Aaron Schunk, 3B (No. 26)
Julio Carreras, SS (No. 28)
Chicago White Sox
Bryan Ramos, 3B (No. 5)
Jose Rodriguez, SS (No. 7)
Luis Mieses, OF (No. 21)
Yolbert Sanchez, SS (No. 26)
Detroit Tigers
Reese Olson, RHP (No. 9)
Wenceel Perez, SS (No. 14)
Austin Bergner, RHP (No. 15)
Parker Meadows, OF (No. 16)
Andre Lipcius, 3B (No. 22)
Elvis Alvarado, RHP (No. 26)
Jose De La Cruz, OF (No. 27)
Houston Astros
Jayden Murray, RHP (No. 12)
Cristian Gonzalez, SS (No. 17)
Corey Julks, OF (No. 30)
Kansas City Royals
T.J. Sikkema, LHP (No. 16)
+ Alec Marsh, RHP (No. 19)
+ Diego Hernandez, OF (No. 20)
+ Samad Taylor, 2B (No. 25)
Los Angeles Dodgers
Diego Cartaya, C (No. 1/MLB No. 8)
Michael Busch, 2B (No. 4/MLB No. 42)
Andy Pages, OF (No. 5/MLB No. 66)
Jose Ramos, OF (No. 8)
Carlos Duran, RHP (No. 19)
Ryan Ward, OF (No. 30)
Miami Marlins
Troy Johnston, OF (No. 19)
Griffin Conine, OF (No. 23)
MD Johnson, RHP (No. 25)
Josh Simpson, LHP (No. 28)
Milwaukee Brewers
Brice Turang, SS (No. 4)
Felix Valerio, SS (No. 14)
Eduardo Garcia, SS (No. 21)
Abner Uribe, RHP (No. 26)
Cam Robinson, RHP (No. 27)
Carlos Rodriguez, OF (No. 28)
Victor Castaneda, RHP (No. 30)
Minnesota Twins
Misael Urbina, OF (No. 8)
Matt Canterino, RHP (No. 9)
Edouard Julien, 2B (No. 14)
Steven Cruz, RHP (No. 28)
New York Mets
Junior Santos, RHP (No. 16)
Jordany Ventura, RHP (No. 20)
Stanley Consuegra, OF (No. 23)
Javier Atencio, LHP (No. 29)
New York Yankees
Randy Vasquez, RHP (No. 14)
Antonio Gomez, C (No. 16)
Josh Breaux, C (No. 20)
+ Jhony Brito, RHP (No. 22)
Alexander Vargas, SS (No. 25)
Brandon Lockridge, OF (No. 26)
Edgar Barclay, LHP (No. 27)
Juan Carela, RHP (No. 28)
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Matt Krook, LHP
Oakland Athletics
Lawrence Butler, OF (No. 14)
Euribiel Angeles, SS (No. 17)
Logan Davidson, SS (No. 19)
Brayan Buelvas, OF (No. 21)
Colin Peluse, RHP (No. 24)
Jorge Juan, RHP (No. 30)
Philadelphia Phillies
Johan Rojas, OF (No. 5)
Erik Miller, LHP (No. 7)
McKinley Moore, RHP (No. 24)
Alexeis Azuaje, INF (No. 27)
Pittsburgh Pirates
Endy Rodriguez, C (No. 6/MLB No. 97)
Mike Burrows, RHP (No. 8)
Malcom Nunez, 1B (No. 12)
Matt Fraizer, OF (No. 16)
Maikel Escotto, SS (No. 21)
Matt Gorski, OF (No. 22)
Dariel Lopez, SS (No. 23)
Jared Triolo, 3B (No. 24)
Rodolfo Nolasco, OF (No. 28)
Tahnaj Thomas, RHP (No. 29)
San Diego Padres
Korry Howell, OF (No. 9)
Jairo Iriarte, RHP (No. 10)
Noel Vela, LHP (No. 11)
Tirso Ornelas, OF (No. 18)
Nerwilian Cedeno, 3B (No. 26)
Brandon Valenzuela, C (No. 27)
Moises Lugo, RHP (No. 28)
Matthew Waldron, RHP (No. 30)
Seattle Mariners
Jonatan Clase, OF (No. 13)
Prelander Berroa, RHP (No. 16)
Milkar Perez, 3B (No. 19)
Robert Perez Jr., OF (No. 21)
Cade Marlowe, OF (No. 22)
Travis Kuhn, RHP (No. 28)
San Francisco Giants
Marco Luciano, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 16)
Luis Matos, OF (No. 3)
Jairo Pomares, OF (No. 14)
Hunter Bishop, OF (No. 23)
Will Wilson, SS (No. 26)
St. Louis Cardinals
Inohan Paniagua, RHP (No. 13)
Dionys Rodriguez, RHP (No. 19)
Connor Thomas, LHP (No. 24)
+ Moises Gómez, OF (No. 30)
Tampa Bay Rays
Taj Bradley, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 20)
Curtis Mead, 3B (No. 2/MLB No. 35)
Xavier Edwards, SS (No. 4)
Osleivis Basabe, SS (No. 13)
Greg Jones, SS (No. 16)
Heriberto Hernandez, OF (No. 17)
Kameron Misner, OF (No. 20)
Austin Shenton, 3B (No. 22)
Brett Wisely, 2B (No. 27)
Texas Rangers
Owen White, RHP (No. 4/MLB No. 59)
Luisangel Acuña, SS (No. 7)
Dustin Harris, OF/1B (No. 9)
Cole Winn, RHP (No. 10)
Antoine Kelly, LHP (No. 13)
Jonathan Ornelas, SS (No. 21)
Avery Weems, LHP (No. 23)
Zak Kent, RHP (No. 25)
Mason Englert, RHP (No. 29)
Toronto Blue Jays
Orelvis Martinez, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 70)
Yosver Zulueta, RHP (No. 5)
Gabriel Martinez, OF (No. 8)
Spencer Horwitz, 1B (No. 12)
Addison Barger, SS (No. 13)
Alex De Jesus, 3B (No. 15)
Tanner Morris, SS (No. 18)
Adrian Hernandez, RHP (No. 23)
Alejandro Melean, RHP (No. 30)
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Nathan Lukes, OF
Washington Nationals
Jeremy De La Rosa, OF (No. 10)
Jackson Rutledge, RHP (No. 12)
Aldo Ramirez, RHP (No. 18)
Jose Ferrer, LHP (No. 23)
Matt Cronin, LHP (No. 25)
Drew Millas, C (No. 30)
+ indicates player has been added to the 40-man roster