Major League Baseball’s annual Rule 5 Draft was held Wednesday afternoon at the Winter Meetings in Dallas. The Rule 5 Draft is a mechanism designed to give minor leaguers a big-league opportunity by making it more difficult for clubs to stash players in the minors indefinitely.
Generally speaking, college players drafted no later than 2021 and high school players drafted no later than 2020 were Rule 5 Draft eligible this winter, as were players signed internationally no later than 2020. Players who meet the criteria and are not on the 40-man roster are eligible to be selected.
Players selected in the Rule 5 Draft must remain on their new team’s MLB roster all next season, otherwise they must pass through waivers and be offered back to their original team. Teams typically look for middle relievers and bench guys in the Rule 5 Draft. Very rarely does the Rule 5 Draft yield an impact player.
You can read more about the inner workings of the Rule 5 Draft. A total of 15 picks were made this year. Here is what you need to know about each of this year’s Rule 5 Draft selections.
Once an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest, Smith threw 94 ⅓ minor-league innings with a 3.05 ERA in Milwaukee’s farm system in 2024, and reached Triple-A. He posted strong strikeout (29.6% of batters faced), walk (7.6%), and ground ball (44.3%) rates. Smith, 24, works primarily with a low-to-mid-90s fastball and two breaking balls, and generally does a good job throwing strikes. Given the state of the White Sox roster, he stands a good chance to stick in the big leagues next season.
Hicks, 25, was acquired by the Tigers in the Carson Kelly trade with the Rangers at this summer’s deadline. He hit .264/.379/.357 with six home runs in 113 Double-A game in 2024. Hicks has limited power and is unrefined behind the plate, though his bat-to-ball ability is very strong. The history of catchers taken in the Rule 5 Draft is poor — it’s a demanding position and difficult to stick in the big leagues all year — though Miami’s catchers were the least productive in baseball in 2024. Hicks has a chance to make it through 2025 with the major-league club.
3. Angels: LHP Garrett McDaniels (Dodgers)
Like Smith, Daniels originally signed as an undrafted free agent. The soon-to-be 25-year-old threw 73 ⅓ innings with 84 strikeouts and 3.19 ERA between Single-A and Double-A in 2024. McDaniels typically sits in the low-90s with his fastball and also features a breaking ball and a changeup. He stands out more for his location and pitching smarts than his raw stuff. The Angels can give McDaniel a long runway next year and give him a chance to prove his worth.
Murdock is one of the best ground ball artists in the minors, routinely approaching a 60% ground ball rate at every level he’s pitched (the MLB average is around 42% ground balls). The 26-year-old works off a hard mid-90s sinker and backs it up with a quality sweeper and occasional cutter. Murdock had a 3.16 ERA in 62 ⅔ innings between Double-A and Triple-A this past season and was seen as one of the most MLB-ready players available in this year’s Rule 5 Draft. The A’s have had a Rule 5 Draft pick stick each of the last two years (Mitch Spence in 2024, Ryan Noda in 2023) and it’s a good bet Murdock will do the same in 2025.
A year ago, Reifert lost the strike zone and walked 15 batters in 7 ⅔ minor-league innings around an injury. He bounced back in a big way in 2024, pitching to a 1.96 ERA with 65 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 41 ⅓ Double-A innings. Reifert, 25, is a slider monster, using the mid-80s breaker as his primary pitch. A mid-90s fastball is his secondary offering. He’s an analytics darling, though Reifert carries risk given his history of inconsistent strike-throwing ability.
The Blue Jays will play the injured list stash game with Bastardo, who had Tommy John surgery in June. They’ll put him on the injured list, rehab him, see what he looks like once he’s fully recovered, then decide whether to put him on their MLB roster, or offer him back to the Red Sox. Bastardo, 22, had a 5.36 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 45 ⅓ Double-A innings before his elbow gave out this year. He operates in the low-to-mid-90s with a quality changeup and a slider. Tommy John surgery in June suggests Bastardo will miss just about the entire 2025 season, so the Blue Jays took him with an eye on 2026. If that is the case, Bastardo will need to spend at least 90 days on the active MLB roster in 2026 to satisfy the Rule 5 Draft roster requirements.
The A’s originally acquired Bowman from the Yankees in the Frankie Montas trade at the 2022 deadline. The 24-year-old speedster hit .281/.378/.466 in Double-A this past season but struggled badly following a late promotion to Triple-A. Bowman stole 43 bases in 29 tries in 118 games in 2024. For his career, he has 141 steals in 334 minor-league games. Bowman’s game is slash-and-dash, and he dabbled in center field this summer. His ticket to the majors is as a speed-and-defense utility guy.
Another injured list stash. Lavender had Tommy John surgery in May and will miss most, if not all, of next season.
The Tampa Bay Rays have a promising young reliever in Lavender, who has a deceptive delivery that baffles hitters. Despite his fastball sitting around 90 mph before his elbow injury, Lavender has managed to strike out 174 batters in his minor-league career and even reached Triple-A in 2023. The Rays are patient and plan to wait for him to recover from Tommy John surgery.
The Minnesota Twins have high hopes for RHP Eiberson Castellano, who had an impressive season in 2024 with a 3.99 ERA and 136 strikeouts between Single-A and Double-A. With a mid-90s fastball, a devastating curveball, and a solid changeup, Castellano has the potential to make an impact at the major league level.
Gage Workman, a versatile infielder from the Detroit Tigers organization, caught the attention of the Chicago Cubs with his defensive skills and offensive production in Double-A. While he needs to improve his contact rate, Workman’s power, speed, and defensive abilities could make him a valuable utility player for the Cubs.
The Atlanta Braves are taking a chance on RHP Anderson Pilar, a hard-throwing reliever with a nasty cutter and slider. Despite his success in Triple-A, Pilar will need to prove himself in the big leagues to earn a permanent spot on the roster.
The San Diego Padres acquired Nunez from the Twins in 2022, and despite his shoulder injury, they believe in his potential as a future big league pitcher. With a solid fastball and impressive secondary pitches, Nunez could be a valuable asset for the Padres once he recovers from his injury.
The Milwaukee Brewers have a reliable arm in Thomas, who has excelled in Triple-A with his diverse pitch arsenal and ability to induce ground balls. With the Brewers’ reputation for developing pitchers, Thomas could become a valuable contributor in their bullpen.
Lastly, the Philadelphia Phillies traded RHP Mike Vasil to the Tampa Bay Rays after selecting him in the Rule 5 Draft. Despite his struggles in Triple-A, Vasil has the potential to succeed with his six-pitch repertoire, and the Phillies hope he can contribute as a reliever in 2024. text in a different way:
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