The Rule 5 Draft can be a fascinating, if imperfect, process, and you only need to look at last year’s edition to see why.
On one hand, the White Sox selected Shane Smith from the Brewers and watched him blossom into an All-Star before finishing with a 3.81 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 146 1/3 innings. Left off the 40-man by Milwaukee, he earned his first Major League look in Chicago and made the most of it, becoming just the kind of player the Rule 5 Draft was meant to benefit.
On the other hand, Smith is one of only three of last year’s 15 picks still with his new organization. Marlins catcher Liam Hicks (formerly of the Tigers) was the only other player to stick in The Show all season long. (Right-hander Angel Bastardo remains with the Blue Jays because they stashed him on the injured list all season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.) Left-handers Nate Lavender and Connor Thomas also made it through the summer, but they have since moved on from the Rays and Brewers, respectively. Mike Vasil satisfied his Rule 5 requirements with the White Sox but only after a wild ride: he was taken by the Phillies, traded to the Rays and then claimed off waivers by Chicago when he didn’t make Tampa Bay’s Opening Day roster.
On Dec. 10, clubs making a Rule 5 selection will do so hoping they get the 2026 version of Smith, but they are likelier to be getting someone passing through for a brief spell.
Here’s one candidate from each organization to be taken in this year’s Rule 5 Draft.
(Reminder: players are Rule 5-eligible if they are not on the 40-man roster but were signed at 19 or older and have been in pro ball for four seasons or more or were signed at 18 or younger and have been in pro ball for five seasons or more.)
Blue Jays: Yohendrick Pinango, OF (No. 7)
Pinango produced a 169 wRC+ over 47 games in Double-A New Hampshire to push himself to Triple-A in his age-23 season, only to hit .235/.335/.379 with seven homers and a 96 wRC+ in 84 games there. The data under the hood, however, is much better as he ran a 108.8 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity, 115.4 mph max EV, 47.8 percent hard-hit rate and 86 percent in-zone contact rate while batting from the left side. Below-average speed and fringy arm strength would limit him to left field in the Majors.
Orioles: Alex Pham, RHP (unranked)
Pham opened the year in the Double-A rotation, missed about three months with right forearm inflammation, and moved to the bullpen in the back half of 2025. He has a deep pitch mix with a four-seamer (featuring cut-ride action), curveball, slider, cutter and changeup from an over-the-top release, and while he doesn’t flash huge velocity, his experience working in multiple roles could be beneficial for his chances at sticking as a swingman.
Rays: Logan Workman, RHP (unranked)
Workman has been one of the Minors’ best workhorses with four straight seasons of 100-plus innings, including 152 1/3 with Triple-A Durham in 2025 (second-most in MiLB). He posted a 4.02 ERA with 152 strikeouts in that span and walked only 7.2 percent of his batters faced (Triple-A average was 10.9 percent). His 92-94 mph fastball was a subpar offering, but his mid-80s slider and 82-85 mph changeup were whiff generators. His ceiling is limited, but he could be worth a look as a durable and cheap No. 5 option for clubs in need of starting help.
Red Sox: Hayden Mullins, LHP (No. 17)
Mullins gets impressive swing-and-miss on his 91-94 mph four-seamer (that plays up with good extension and life up in the zone) and low-80s, two-plane slider, helping him fan 30.0 percent of his batters faced in 2025. He had a 13.8 percent walk rate in his 18 starts at Double-A and hasn’t yet reached Triple-A yet as a 25-year-old, and those two factors likely kept him off Boston’s 40-man. But he could be an interesting reliever out of the gate for a Rule 5 club with an eye on being a part of starting depth.
Yankees: Harrison Cohen, RHP (No. 30)
Once undrafted out of George Washington, the 6-foot reliever has posted back-to-back seasons with sub-2 ERAs. In this most recent campaign, he finished with a 1.76 mark and 1.10 WHIP while striking out 59 in 51 innings between Triple-A and Double-A. He ran pretty even splits by relying on a tight mid-80s cutter against righties and mid-80s changeup with good armside fade against lefties, all while sporting a more mundane 92-94 four-seamer from a low arm slot. The deception can be an issue for his control, but it also could make him a plug-and-play option in an MLB bullpen.
Guardians: Wuilfredo Antunez, OF (unranked)
Right shoulder tendinitis put a crimp in Antunez’s Arizona Fall League stint back in October, which would have provided him an opportunity to display his skill set for a wider audience. As is, he posted a 139 wRC+ across High-A and Double-A this past season, ranking as the lone member of the Guardians organization outside of José Ramírez to post 50+ extra-base hits and 15+ steals in 2025. Signed for just $10,000 out of Venezuela in April 2019, the left-handed-hitting Antunez has made tremendous strides since arriving stateside, but with just 123 at-bats in the upper levels of the Minors, a jump straight to the big leagues could come with a sizable learning curve.
Royals: Javi Vaz, INF (No. 25)
The Vanderbilt product already faced questions about his power heading into 2025, and fractured fingers in his right hand (suffered in Spring Training) didn’t help that cause as he slugged just .326 with three homers in 103 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas after his return. That said, the lefty hitter walked more than he struck out for a fourth straight pro season and added 25 steals in 28 attempts thanks to his plus speed. Vaz has experience at both second base and left field, aiding the possibility he’s taken as a speedy, high-contact utility option off an MLB bench.
Tigers: RJ Petit, RHP (No. 30)
Listed at 6-foot-8, 300 pounds, Petit would bring plenty of size to any MLB bullpen, but he brings results to the table too, having posted a 2.44 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 79 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings. He leans heavily on his 83-85 mph, late-breaking slider against batters from both sides, even getting lefties to whiff on 58.3 percent of their swings against it at Triple-A. Petit also works with a mid-90s fastball and upper-80s changeup and has decent control without overthrowing.
Twins: Jose Olivares, RHP (No. 24)
With a four-pitch mix and a fastball that sat in the mid 90s for the majority of the year, Olivares has a starter kit that fits the look of an MLB rotation member. The main caveat working against him is that he’s yet to pitch above High-A, where he compiled 10.7 K/9 in 2025 but also ran a 5.7 BB/9 rate that lays bare his need for improved command of his arsenal. A club who likes what it sees under the hood could try running him out in a long-relief role before expanding his workload in ‘27 and beyond.
White Sox: Peyton Pallette, RHP (No. 14)
A move to the bullpen last July has done wonders for Pallette, who posted a career-high 12.0 K/9 this season (86 in 64 1/3 innings) between Double-A and Triple-A. His fastball sits 94-96 mph and he combines it with a high-spin curveball (consistently north of 3,000 rpm) that falls off the table and a mid-80s changeup (50.8% whiff rate at Triple-A in 2025). A second-round pick in the 2022 Draft, the 24-year-old fits the prototypical mold (with the level pedigree to match) of a Rule 5 selectee that a club could plug and play into its bullpen.
Angels: Samy Natera Jr. LHP (No. 20)
Buzz first started to percolate around Natera after an impressive five-outing showing during the Arizona Fall League in 2024, which he followed up with a dominant debut campaign as a reliever. A 17th-round pick in ‘22 out of New Mexico State (which has sent just three pitchers to the big leagues), Natera rode his fastball/slider combo as high as Triple-A while striking out 85 batters in 57 innings. He threw his heater with significant cut and ride 78.6 percent of the time overall and was particularly stingy against lefties, whom he neutralized to the tune of a .160 AVG and .559 OPS. At 26, the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder is knocking on the door of a big league bullpen as he still works to hone in his stuff (career-high 6.6 BB/9 in ‘25).
Astros: Alimber Santa, RHP (No. 13)
After jumping on prospect radars after he dialed his fastball up to 100 mph in August 2022, Santa has settled into the mid 90s and found success after a full-time transition to the bullpen that began in mid-2024. Named to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in July, Santa posted a Double-A-best (min. 50 innings) 1.26 ERA this season, which earned him a bump to Triple-A at just 22 years old. The Dominican righty has battled his control throughout his time in the Minors (6.0 BB/9 rate) but his elite arm speed, feel for a changeup and pair of distinct breaking balls could enthrall a club who buys into his all-around upside.
A’s: Daniel Susac, C (No. 11)
The 19th overall pick from the 2022 Draft, Susac has played at each stop of the Athletics’ stateside organizational ladder. He took full advantage of the hitter-friendly confines in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League this past season, posting career highs in home runs (18), RBIs (68), OPS (.832) and wOBA (.365). The younger brother of former MLB catcher Andrew, Daniel has a reputation as a solid receiver behind the dish with plus makeup to boot, attributes that could land him on an MLB roster as soon as next March as a backup who is still refining his all-around game.
Mariners: Michael Morales, RHP (No. 18)
Dating back to his Single-A debut in 2022, Morales has compiled the 11th-most innings (472 1/3) in the Minors. Remarkably durable, the third-round pick has made at least 22 starts four years running. He’s a true mix and match hurler who works with five pitches of varying speeds, with just his low-80s changeup rating out as above average. His strikeout rate backed up considerably in 2025 (6.2 per nine) but he was two-and-a-half years younger than his Double-A competition. It will likely never be a high whiff profile but Morales could provide stability in an innings-eater role to an MLB club that believes in his pitchability.
Rangers: Cameron Cauley, SS/OF/2B (No. 17)
While it may not be a true one-for-one comp, Cauley has many of the same attributes that led to the Nationals nabbing Nasim Nuñez in the Rule 5 Draft back in 2023: elite speed and defensive flexibility. Additionally enhancing Cauley’s favor is that he also has some considerable pop, having swatted 15 home runs for the second straight this year. Running a 86.9 percent stolen-base clip throughout his Minor League career, the 2021 third-rounder has experience starting at shortstop, second base and center field, making him a prime option for a club in search of a versatile utility man.
Braves: Blake Burkhalter, RHP (No. 11)
Atlanta didn’t add anyone to its 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 deadline, leaving Burkhalter (among many) available. The 6-foot right-hander had solid success as a Double-A starter in 2025 before moving to the Triple-A bullpen, where he didn’t miss as many bats (23 strikeouts in 31 innings). His 92-95 mph four-seamer does have impressive ride (17.9 inches of induced vertical break at Triple-A, on average) and some cutting action that could be appetizing for Rule 5 clubs, and he has a truer cutter in the upper-80s and a low-80s curveball for righties and a mid-80s changeup for lefties.
Marlins: Matt Pushard, RHP (unranked)
The University of Maine product knocked on Miami’s door with a 3.61 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 23 walks in 62 1/3 innings as a Triple-A Jacksonville reliever but never broke it down during his age-27 season in 2025. His 94-96 mph four-seamer (touching 97.4) regularly caused batters to chase and miss with its combination of ride and run, and he added an effective low-80s sweeper to go with a more traditional curveball. He doesn’t have as many control issues as other potential Rule 5 relievers, though he’s more likely to succeed in right-on-right situations.
Mets: Felipe De La Cruz, LHP (unranked)
The 24-year-old left-hander bounced between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025 as he couldn’t find consistent success at the Minors’ top level (7.30 ERA, 32 strikeouts, 17 walks in 24 2/3 innings). He’s a sinker/slider southpaw with a 94-96 mph heater with tons of run and a cutter-like breaking ball in the 84-87 mph range with a little armside break of its own (roughly two inches on average). Even righties had a whiff rate of 41.8 percent against the slider in Triple-A, so De La Cruz wouldn’t necessarily need to be lefty-heavy in the Majors. His handedness might still give him a leg up in consideration.
Nationals: Tyler Stuart, RHP (No. 29)
The 6-foot-9 right-hander would be your classic stash candidate as he underwent Tommy John surgery after appearing in only 10 games while battling elbow issues this summer. Acquired from the Mets in July 2024 for Jesse Winker, he struck out 135 batters in 122 1/3 innings at Double-A and Triple-A that season, relying heavily on an 82-85 mph slider with good two-plane break. He plays off that with a sinker, changeup and cutter and has enough control to keep starting once healthy. If a team were to pick him and keep him on the IL for all of ‘26, he’d need to be active for 90 days in ‘27 to stick.
Phillies: Griff McGarry, RHP (unranked)
Prepare to hear McGarry’s name a good amount as his stuff continues to be promising. His 93-95 mph four-seamer comes in with a flat approach and plays up with above-average extension, shortening the decision window for batters. His low-80s sweeper averaged 17-18 inches of gloveside movement in front of Statcast, and he has a mid-80s slider that’s a little shorter than that; both can generate a heavy amount of whiffs. But even as McGarry’s control improved from a disastrous 2024, he still walked 13.9 percent of his batters faced across all levels. A Rule 5 club would have to want to buy and build on that progress.
Brewers: Blake Holub, RHP (unranked)
Acquired from the Tigers in November 2023 in a straight-up swap for Mark Canha, the 6-foot-6 right-hander first reached Triple-A Nashville in 2024 and posted a 3.70 ERA with 53 strikeouts and 31 walks in 41 1/3 innings there this season. He’s a two-pitch reliever with a 93-95 mph cutter and a 84-86 mph slider, each of which had a whiff rate of 29-30 percent in ‘25. Holub comes with nearly seven feet of extension and generates a ton of ground balls (50.5 percent last season), which could interest some Rule 5 clubs, but would need to throw more strikes to stick in an MLB bullpen for a full season.
Cardinals: Pete Hansen, LHP (unranked)
The 2022 third-rounder out of Texas has certainly delivered results in his three full seasons with the Cards, most recently finishing with a 3.93 ERA, 123 strikeouts and 37 walks in 137 1/3 innings at Double-A Springfield in ‘25. Considering his fastball only scrapes 92 mph, it’s all about the command and secondary stuff here, particularly an 80-82 mph slider that gets heavy chase and an 81-84 mph changeup that holds off righties.
Cubs: Grant Kipp, RHP (No. 19)
Six-foot-six. Elite spin rates. Considerable velocity gains. There’s a ton to like in Kipp’s prospect package despite having turned 26 this offseason. An undrafted free agent who possesses an economics degree from Yale, he spun a career-best 108 2/3 innings this summer at Double-A and struck out better than a batter per inning, all while continuing to refine his arsenal – mid-90s heater, low-80s curve (49.4% whiff rate in 2025, per Synergy), upper-80s cutter, along with a slider and changeup that could fall by the wayside if a club believes in his immediate relief bona fides.
Pirates: Anthony Solometo, LHP (No. 25)
Once a pitcher who drew Madison Bumgarner comps for his deception from the left side, Solometo saw his velocity drop in 2024 and then battled shoulder issues that limited him to only 10 2/3 innings this summer. Still only 23 for the 2026 season, he would be a rebuild candidate, someone clubs could stash on the IL as he tried to regain strength in the shoulder and velocity on the fastball. Even when the heater was down, his slider looked like an above-average pitch, and he has a history of showing average to good command.
Reds: Carlos Jorge, OF/2B (No. 22)
Traditionally, posting a sub-.700 OPS in consecutive seasons wouldn’t get you on many clubs’ Rule 5 radars. But Jorge – who repeated High-A this year – ripped off 40 stolen bases, his fifth consecutive campaign with at least 27 bags, all while running at an 84.2 percent success clip. Factor in untapped offensive potential to the fact the 22-year-old has experience playing all three outfield positions, as well as second base, and an aggressive club who believes in his long-term upside could attempt to stash him as a late-inning baserunner/defensive replacement.
D-backs: Christian Cerda, C (unranked)
Could Cerda be this year’s Hicks? Like the Marlins catcher, the 22-year-old has posted impressive walk rates at every stop in the Minors, though he trades Hicks’ elite contact rates for a little more power. Cerda hit a career-high 18 homers in 93 games for Double-A Amarillo in 2025. Teams won’t look too heavily into that total alone as Cerda slugged just .357 away from Amarillo’s home launching pad, but there’s enough right-handed pop and defense there for a Rule 5 club in need of catching help to consider him.
Dodgers: José Rodríguez, RHP (unranked)
Rodriguez has one of the most unique deliveries in this year’s Rule 5 Draft with his back turned to the batter, followed by pronounced seven-foot extension and a whiplike arm motion. It helps sell his 86-88 mph changeup (also one of the best in this year’s R5 class), since it looks much like his 95-97 mph sinker in movement until it hits the brakes near the plate. The cambio had a 67.3 percent whiff rate at Triple-A, and you can bet a lot of clubs would like to get their hands on that and his 85-87 mph short slider with a 51.2 percent whiff rate. Rodriguez also walked 14.2 percent of his batters faced with Oklahoma City, and that lack of control (a likely outcome of his delivery) could scare them off too.
Giants: Tyler Vogel, RHP (unranked)
A 12th-round pick in 2022 out of Jacksonville, Vogel hadn’t broken past High-A entering this year, but he enjoyed a breakout 2025 with a 2.88 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A in his age-24 season. The 6-foot righty can touch 97 with his fastball, and his 79-81 mph curveball and mid-80s splitter are very effective against lefties with whiff rates above 40 percent against opposite-side bats. Left-handers hit just .183 against him in 2025 (compared to .313 for righties).
Padres: Francis Pena, RHP (No. 20)
Triple-A El Paso can be a tough place to pitch, as Pena can attest to after posting a 6.04 ERA in 21 home games there in 2025. But in general, last season was a step back for the 24-year-old righty who had dominated in his previous two stateside seasons. Still, he offers some interesting pitches in his 94-97 mph sinker and 86-89 mph two-plane slider, both of which come from more than seven feet of extension. Pena’s walk rate more than doubled from 7.1 percent in ‘24 to 14.3 percent with the MLB ball in ‘25, and that’ll weigh on his candidacy.
Rockies: Yujanyer Herrera, RHP (No. 17)
Herrera didn’t pitch at all in 2025 as he recovered and rehabbed from Tommy John surgery, but there’s some starting potential here because of the way his strike-throwing was improving before the elbow procedure. His 92-94 mph fastball and hard slider both earned average to above-average grades, and there are the makings of a changeup here too. A Rule 5 club could oversee the remainder of his recovery and give him rehab outings in-house before better assessing if he could jump to The Show.
