18 for '20: Rule 5 Draft results

It turned out to be an active Rule 5 Draft after all.

Topped by right-hander Jose Soriano, 18 players were chosen in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday -- equal to the number of selections in 2017 and 2016 and just shy of the 19 players picked in 2010.

Players taken as part of Thursday's process -- held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic -- must stick with their new clubs for the duration of the 2021 season (or at least 90 days on the active roster if they spend time on the injured list) or else be offered back to their original club. Rule 5 picks cost $100,000, and the players are offered back at $50,000 if they do not stick with their new team.

Following the lack of a Minor League season in 2020, it was a legitimate question about how active this year's Rule 5 Draft would be due to a lack of player scouting at the lower levels. However, clubs seemed willing to rely on what notes and data they had to make the 2020 edition a fairly robust class, likely because of the relatively low cost the Rule 5 Draft provides to potentially add impact talent.

Soriano heads to Pittsburgh, where he'll bring a 70-grade fastball and above-average curve. He underwent Tommy John surgery last February and could be a stash candidate for the rebuilding Pirates. Former Dodgers reliever Brett de Geus went to the Rangers with the second pick, and he'll attempt to stick with two plus pitches in his fastball and curve and an above-average slider. He was a 33rd-round pick out of junior college in 2017, an indication of just how far he's come since entering the pro ranks. The Tigers stayed in the division by taking Twins outfielder Akil Baddoo with the third overall selection. The former Minnesota prospect is a plus runner who has played mostly center field in the Minors but has experience at all three outfield spots. Baddoo underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2019 but should be good to go for a potentially full 2021 season in the Motor City.

The Orioles and Athletics were the only clubs to make multiple selections on their own in this year's Major League phase. The Pirates also came away with two picks after trading for former Cleveland pitcher Luis Oviedo from the Mets, who will receive cash considerations. The D-backs originally selected Zach Pop but traded the former Orioles hurler to the Marlins for a player to be named later.

There were 56 selections made in the Minor League phase of this year's Rule 5 Draft. Such selections cost $24,000 and do not come with a roster requirement for the 2021 season.

The full list of 2020 Rule 5 picks for the Major and Minor League phases are listed below:

MAJOR LEAGUE PHASE
PICK	TEAM	PLAYER	POS	OLD ORG	2019 Notes
1	PIT	Jose Soriano	RHP	LAA	2.55 ERA, 84 K, 48 BB in 77 2/3 IP at Class A
2	TEX	Brett de Geus	RHP	LAD	1.75 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 72 K in 61 2/3 IP at Class A Advanced/Class A
3	DET	Akil Baddoo	OF	MIN	.214/.290/393, 9 HR in 29 G at Class A Advanced
4	BOS	Garrett Whitlock	RHP	NYY	3.07 ERA in 70 1/3 IP at Double-A; Tommy John surgery in 2019
5	BAL	Mac Sceroler	RHP	CIN	3.69 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 127 K in 117 IP at Class A Advanced
6	MIA	Zach Pop	RHP	BAL	0.84 ERA, 11 K in 10 2/3 IP at Double-A; TJ surgery in 2019
7	COL	Jordan Sheffield	RHP	LAD	3.27 ERA, 74 K, 43 BB in 55 IP at Double-A/Class A Advanced
8	LAA	Jose Alberto Rivera	RHP	HOU	3.81 ERA, 95 K, 36 BB in 75 2/3 IP at Class A
9	PIT	Luis Oviedo	RHP	CLE	5.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 72 K in 87 IP at Class A
10	SEA	Will Vest	RHP	DET	3.27 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 58 K in 55 IP across three levels
11	PHI	Kyle Holder	INF	NYY	.265/.336/.405, 9 HR in 112 G at Double-A
12	SF	Dedniel Nunez	RHP	NYM	4.39 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 94 K in 80 IP at Class A Advanced/Class A
13	MIA	Paul Campbell	RHP	TB	3.67 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 112 K in 144 2/3 IP at Double-A/Class A Advanced
14	CHC	Gray Fenter	RHP	BAL	1.81 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 123 K in 94 1/3 IP at Class A
15	CLE	Trevor Stephan	RHP	NYY	4.73 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 91 K in 80 IP at Double-A/Class A Advanced
16	OAK	Ka'ai Tom	OF	CLE	.290/.380/.532, 23 HR at Triple-A/Double-A
17	BAL	Tyler Wells	RHP	MIN	Missed all of 2019 due to Tommy John surgery; 6-foot-8
18	OAK	Dany Jimenez	RHP	OAK	Rule 5 pick but didn't stick with Giants; made two appearances
TRIPLE-A PHASE
1	PIT	Shea Spitzbarth	RHP	LAD	4.09 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 89 K at Triple-A/Double-A
2	TEX	Matt Wivinis	RHP	NYY	2.86 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 55 K in 50 1/3 IP at Double-A/Class A Advanced
3	DET	Yunior Perez	RHP	CHC	4.73 ERA, 30 K, 21 BB in 26 2/3 IP at Class A Short Season
4	BOS	Tyreque Reed	1B	TEX	.270/.365/.487, 18 HR across three levels
5	BAL	Rickey Ramirez	RHP	MIN	3.80 ERA, 50 K, 18 BB across three levels
6	ARI	Tyler Gilbert	LHP	LAD	2.83 ERA, 46 K, 14 BB in 47 2/3 IP at Triple-A in PHI system
7	LAA	Brendon Davis	INF	TEX	.202/.298/.272, 3 HR at Double-A
8	NYM	Drew Ferguson	OF	HOU	.281/.395/.440, 11 HR, 27 SB at Triple-A
9	SEA	Amador Arias	INF	TB	played 13 games at GCL
10	SF	Vince Fernandez	OF	COL	.257/.346/.543, 15 HR at Double-A
11	HOU	Joe Record	RHP	MIN	5.07 ERA, 68 K over 55 IP at Class A Advanced/Class A
12	MIA	Jake Fishman	LHP	TOR	3.45 ERA, 74 K, 18 BB in 62 2/3 IP at Double-A
13	CIN	Errol Robinson	INF	LAD	.260/.343/.344, 5 HR, 9 SB at Triple-A/Double-A
14	STL	Garrett Williams	LHP	LAA	3.60 ERA, 108 K, 61 BB in 110 IP at Double-A
15	TOR	Sebastian Espino	INF	NYM	.251/.303/.332, 2 HR at Rookie Advanced
16	NYY	Matt Krook	LHP	TB	4.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 52 K in 50 IP at Double-A
17	CHC	Nicholas Padilla	RHP	TB	3.48 ERA, 76 K, 29 BB in 62 IP at Class A
18	CWS	Martin Carrasco	RHP	SD	1.23 ERA, 48 K, 6 BB in 29 1/3 IP at Class A Short Season, Rookie
19	CLE	Chris Roller	OF	LAD	.274/.359/.455, 7 HR at Class A
20	ATL	A.J. Puckett	RHP	CWS	3.98 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 119 K in 135 2/3 IP at Class A Advanced
21	OAK	Zach Jackson	RHP	TOR	3.97 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 68 K in 68 IP at Triple-A
22	MIN	Jhonleider Salinas	RHP	TB	3.27 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 68 K in 66 IP at Double-A/Class A Advanced
23	SD	Yorman Rodriguez	C	TOR	.360/.387/.502, 5 HR at Class A/Class A Short Season
24	TB	Jordan Brink	RHP	STL	three appearances in Rookie ball
25	LAD	Ryan January	C	ARI	.255/.386/.406, 3 HR at Class A/Class A Short Season
26	PIT	Claudio Finol	SS	CIN	.219/.275/.310, 1 HR at Class A/Rookie Advanced
27	TEX	Yohel Pozo	C	SD	.246/.274/.357, 9 HR at Class A Advanced
28	BOS	Kaleb Ort	RHP	NYY	3.40 ERA, 78 K in 50 1/3 IP across three levels
29	BAL	Chris Hudgins	C	KC	.254/.329/.433, 9 HR at Class A/Rookie Advanced
30	LAA	Gustavo Campero	C	NYY	.293/.374/.414, 2 HR at Rookie Advanced
31	NYM	Justin Dillon	RHP	TOR	3.63 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 103 K in 124 IP at Double-A/Class A Advanced
32	SF	Ronnie Williams	RHP	STL	4.01 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 58 K in 58 1/3 IP at Double-A/Class A Advanced
33	HOU	Seth Martinez	RHP	OAK	2.51 ERA, 74 K, 18 BB in 71 2/3 IP at Double-A/Class A Advanced
34	MIA	Dylan Bice	RHP	TEX	1.31 ERA, 29 K in 20 2/3 IP across three levels
35	CIN	Wilfred Astudillo	C	NYM	.267/.323/.408, 5 HR at Rookie Advanced
36	NYY	Reggie McClain	RHP	PHI	19 appearances in MLB for SEA and PHI
37	CHC	Samuel Reyes	RHP	PIT	2.29 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 73 K in 70 2/3 IP at Class A Advanced/Class A
38	ATL	Jalen Miller	INF	SF	.216/.287/.332, 11 HR, 27 SB at Double-A
39	OAK	Brett Graves	RHP	MIA	2.60 ERA, 73 K in 62 1/3 IP at Triple-A/Double-A; 21 career MLB appearances
40	MIN	Josh Mitchell	LHP	KC	3.30 ERA, 47 K, 13 BB at Class A Advanced
41	SD	Ben Ruta	OF	NYY	.260/.330/.396, 8 HR, 25 SB at Double-A
42	TB	Ezequeil Zabaleta	RHP	NYM	3.24 ERA, 60 K, 16 BB in 58 1/3 IP at Class A Advanced/Class A
43	LAD	Roimer Bolivar	OF	TB	.323/.471/.432, 1 HR, 15 SB in DSL
44	PIT	Jeffrey Passantino	RHP	CHC	3.03 ERA, 104 K, 14 BB in 89 IP across four levels
45	TEX	Justin Marsden	RHP	TB	5.79 ERA, 48 K in 46 2/3 IP at Class A Advanced/Class A
46	BAL	Ignacio Feliz	RHP	SD	4.40 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 55 K in 57 1/3 IP at Class A Short Season
47	NYM	Drew Jackson	INF	LAD	.209/.300/.319 6 HR at Triple-A; 2019 Rule pick in MLB phase
48	SF	Mitchell Tolman	INF	NYM	.256/.342/.362, 6 HR, 10 SB at Triple-A/Double-A
49	MIA	Marcus Chiu	INF	LAD	.215/.341/.383, 14 HR at Class A Advanced
50	CIN	Chuckie Robinson	C	HOU	.217/.275/.324, 7 HR at Double-A
51	ATL	Jacob Pearson	OF	MIN	.233/.303/.338, 5 HR at Class A Advanced/Class A
52	NYM	Jesus Reyes	RHP	CIN	5.03 ERA, 64 K, 54 BB in 77 IP at Triple-A
53	CIN	Yoel Yanqui	1B	ARI	.270/.355/.436, 6 HR, 19 SB at Class A Advanced/Rookie
54	NYM	Jose Zorrilla	LHP	CIN	8.84 ERA, 26 K in 19 1/3 IP at Rookie Advanced
55	CIN	Wes Robertson	RHP	TEX	4.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP in 27 IP at Class A Advanced/Class A
56	CIN	Steven Leyton	SS	ARI	.222/.302/.320, 4 HR at Class A/Class A Short Season