Rule 5 Draft prospects protected on 40-man rosters 2025

All 30 Major League teams had decisions to make ahead of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline to set 40-man rosters. Eligible players who were not added to their respective organization’s roster by then can be selected by another organization in the Rule 5 Draft, which is set for Wednesday, Dec. 10, in Orlando, Florida.

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 26-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 2021 had to be protected. A college player taken in the 2022 Draft was in the same position.

There were six players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list who needed to be protected or become exposed to the Rule 5 Draft. All six were added to their clubs’ 40-man rosters:

Andrew Painter, RHP, Phillies (No. 16)
Angel Genao, SS, Guardians (No. 59)
Joe Mack, C, Marlins (No. 70)
Leonardo Bernal, C, Cardinals (No. 92)
Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, RHP, Yankees (No. 97)
Spencer Jones, OF, Yankees (No. 99)

It would have been surprising if any of these prospects did not end up on a 40-man roster by the deadline. Over the past 10 seasons, all 98 Top 100 prospects who were eligible got roster spots:

Here’s a list of all 30 teams’ Top 30 prospects who needed to be protected — and whether or not they were — to avoid being exposed to the Rule 5 Draft:

+ indicates player has been added to the 40-man roster

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Jose Fernandez, INF
Dylan Ray, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Junior Perez, OF

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Anthony Nunez, RHP
Reed Trimble, OF
Cameron Foster, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Shane Drohan, LHP
Tyler Uberstin, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Riley Martin, LHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Duncan Davitt, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Yorman Gómez, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Trei Cruz, INF/OF
Eduardo Valencia, 1B/C

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Ronan Kopp, LHP
Ryan Ward, OF/1B

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Will Kempner, RHP
Josh White, RHP

Minnesota Twins
+Kendry Rojas, LHP (No. 5)
+Gabriel Gonzalez, OF (No. 8)
+Connor Prielipp, LHP (No. 9)
CJ Culpepper, RHP (No. 17)
+Andrew Morris, RHP (No. 19)
Jose Olivares, RHP (No. 24)
+Hendry Mendez, OF (No. 25)
Ricardo Olivar, C (No. 26)
Kalaâ€i Rosario, OF (No. 29)
Danny De Andrade, SS (No. 30)

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
John Klein, RHP

New York Yankees
+Elmer Rodriguez, RHP (No. 3/MLB No. 97)
+Spencer Jones, OF (No. 4/MLB No. 99)
+Chase Hampton, RHP (No. 8)
Henry Lalane, LHP (No. 9)
Brock Selvidge, LHP (No. 10)
Brendan Beck, RHP (No. 11)
Jace Avina, OF (No. 24)
T.J. Rumfield, 1B (No. 25)
Eric Reyzelman, RHP (No. 26)
Harrison Cohen, RHP (No. 30)

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Kervin Castro, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Brandan Bidois, RHP
Ryan Harbin, RHP
Antwone Kelly, RHP
Tyler Samaniego, LHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Alex Hoppe, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Bryan Torres, OF

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Alex Cook, RHP
Forrest Whitley, RHP (later released)

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Leandro Lopez, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Brandon Valenzuela, C

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Riley Cornelio, RHP

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