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
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 |
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.
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