Rule 5 Draft prospects protected on 40-man rosters 2025

All 30 Major League teams have decisions to make ahead of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline to set 40-man rosters. Eligible players who are 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.

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 are six players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list who needed to be protected or become exposed to the Rule 5 Draft:

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 be 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 need to be protected to avoid being exposed to the Rule 5 Draft:

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

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Anthony Nunez, RHP

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

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Coleman Crow, RHP

Minnesota Twins
Kendry Rojas, LHP (No. 5)
Gabriel Gonzalez, OF (No. 8)
Connor Prielipp, RHP (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)
Kala’i Rosario, OF (No. 29)
Danny De Andrade, SS (No. 30)

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:
Ryan Harbin, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Bryan Torres, OF

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Forrest Whitley, RHP

Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Brandon Valenzuela, C