The 2024 Rule 5 draft will take place this afternoon, starting at 1pm Central time, at the Winter Meetings in Dallas. This post will be updated as picks are made or reports of picks come in. The first pick has already been reported by Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline (Bluesky link), which you can see below.
As a refresher, the Rule 5 draft is a way for players potentially talented enough for the big leagues but blocked by their current clubs to find opportunities elsewhere. Any players that were 18 and under at the time of their original signing and have played five professional seasons, and any players who signed at 19 years of age or older at signing that now have four professional seasons, who are not on a club’s 40-man roster are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft.
Though the amateur (Rule 4) draft now has a lottery to determine the selection order, the Rule 5 draft still goes the old-fashioned way of reverse order of standings from the season that just ended. Clubs need to have an open 40-man roster spot in order to make a pick but aren’t obligated to make a selection on their turn. If they do make a pick, they will have to pay $100K to the team they select from. The selected players must stay on the active roster (or injured list) for the entire 2025 season or else be placed on waivers. If they clear waivers, they must be offered back to their original team. They cannot be optioned to the minors.
Last year’s edition saw some key players change clubs. The A’s took Mitch Spence from the Yankees with the top pick and kept him all year. Justin Slaten was plucked from the Rangers by the Mets and then traded to the Red Sox. Players like Anthony Santander and Ryan Pressly have been notable picks in other recent years while guys like George Bell and Roberto Clemente are found deeper in the history books.
Here is this year’s order…
- White Sox: RHP Shane Smith (Brewers) (per Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline on Bluesky)
- Rockies: pass
- Marlins: C Liam Hicks (Tigers); Hicks might be traded to the Rays, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times on X
- Angels: LHP Garrett McDaniels (Dodgers)
- Athletics: RHP Noah Murdock (Royals)
- Nationals: RHP Evan Reifert (Rays)
- Blue Jays: RHP Angel Bastardo (Red Sox)
- Pirates: pass
- Reds: 2B Cooper Bowman (Athletics)
- Rangers: pass
- Giants: pass (per Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle on X)
- Rays: LHP Nate Lavender (Mets)
- Red Sox: pass
- Twins: RHP Eiberson Castellano (Phillies)
- Cardinals: pass
- Cubs: 3B Gage Workman (Tigers)
- Mariners: pass
- Royals: pass
- Tigers: pass
- Astros: pass
- Mets: pass
- D-backs: pass
- Braves: RHP Anderson Pilar (Marlins)
- Orioles: pass
- Guardians: pass
- Padres: RHP Juan Nunez (Orioles)
- Brewers: LHP Connor Thomas (Cardinals)
- Yankees: pass
- Phillies: RHP Mike Vasil (Mets)
- Dodgers: pass
Second round (all picks passed unless otherwise noted)
- Braves SS Christian Cairo (Guardians)
Phillies? Don’t bother. That roster space is too valuable!
League shattering results
White Sox are going to set rule 5 pick records today.
As they should reallly. Take some shots and see if anything sticks
everyone is on bluesky now. We are the anti establishment
Lol @ bluesky users thinking they are anti-establishment. Just another part of the machine. See DOGE.
We have an edgelord here
Relying solely on social media for news is idiotic as is voting for a group of billionaires who tell you they’re anti-establishment.
Communism?
I don’t know. Is ‘m?
Mayo’s on X. He posted this a couple hours ago.
LOL
Bluesky. Hahahaha!!
cucksky
Did you cut yourself while typing this edgy response?
Lmfao, more like cucks that require an echo chamber to function
*Pedosky
Good first pick by the Sox, Smith had strong results in the high minors as what looks to be a swing man, so someone who could actually stick on the roster.
Yep. Not happy at all that Smith was left exposed. If he can overcome his injury history, he could be the Sox; closer. As early as this coming season.
Compliment to Milw being excellent at developing pitchers…..pre-taught well. Makes sense Brewers feel they have plenty of arms rather than lose a position player.
The logic is sound in your post. However, there were plenty of AAAA type players they could’ve exposed and didn’t.
Bluesky huh? Lol
The Jays should pick a potential relief arm. Instead they will grab another light hitting middle infielder. Atkins just cant help himself.
I’m thinking he will just pass.
That’s active!
The ChiSox get free reign to pick through it all?
How prepared were they for this?
What a lame thing. Almost as ridiculous as a draft lottery.
Why?
They’ve only been doing this about 100 years or so.
And the Easter bunny came to America in the 1700s brought by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania. Just cause something has been around doesn’t make it less lame bozo
Why is it lame? It forces teams to roster good players rather than stockpiling. That is its primary purpose. The draft itself usually doesn’t yield much.
So now you’re using Bluesky? What a joke. Hard pass.
Triggered?
Whats wrong with bluesky? free speech is a cornerstone of it
Sure. Just like Twitter was all about free speech. Insert eye roll.
Ah, like when Bluesky briefly collapsed from so new users flagging others on Bluesky for hate speech. It’s a blue team echo chamber. Anyone who says that use it is certainly someone to avoid
also pedophiles and trans weirdos lmao
All the pedos turn out to be R’s. MAGAt pastors, Gaetz, Ttump himself, etc.
lmao “on Bluesky”
Why do people care if Bluesky exists, don’t use it if you don’t want to…
Just so happy that I’m on a MLB site not having any idea what Bluesky even is!
My favorite rendition of “Blue Skies” is Dinah Washington’s.
Nah. Allman Brothers.
I said, “My favorite rendition.” There isn’t any “nah” in that.
Now that I think of it, “Blue Sky” by the Allman Brothers is an entirely different song. It’s not a rendition of the Irving Berlin classic.
It’s possible that you took my post too seriously.
Nah. I was trying to divert the chat from the partisan politics nonsense. It’s also baseball-related, as Dinah Washington once went on a date with Dodgers catcher John Roseboro (which didn’t go well, according to Roseboro in his autobiography).
Brewers do alot of things right, but leaving Shane Smith unprotected was not one of them.
I used to love MLB trade rumors, most posters were kind and informative but the oligarchy loving MAGATS have taken over with their vile and disrespectful comments. You will see shortly what a massive mistake you have made.
Go cry into your echo chamber, lil fella 😉
Agreed. We libs are against the oligarchy. Our billionares are selfless in their wants
Yet you’re the one making it about politics. Chill out. Enjoy baseball. And quit fueling the fire weirdo.
All those comments about bluesky are political, no?
Kind, like calling the majority of the country MAGATS? There is no and will be no oligarchy in the USA, regardless of what CNN tells you.
Shane Smith actually looks promising.
If Gauthier is not drafted I will be shocked.
I dont have a clue what this Bluesky thing is but it’s clearly a hot button issue.
It’s a fairly recent social media very similar to Twitter created by one of the og founders of Twitter. It recently had a second mass migration from Twitter after the election. First was after the Musk takeover. Nothing inherently wrong with not wanting to associated with or support that guy, but folks like to be personally offended.
So does the blue stand for the blue in politics? Like for democrats?
It is just a name, nothing to do with politics. I think the main thing for many users is it isn’t Musk.
From what Ive heard/inferred, it’s a Liberal social media platform created bc Twitter/X is no longer a safe-space where everything they disagree with gets removed.
I’m fully preparing for the Guardians to lose Ryan Webb. I was really surprised that he wasn’t protected.
Blue Sky?
Hard pass on that…
Let’s just cite the person, opposed to that…
I’m going to guess the Jays take a pitcher to fill one of the open bullpen spots, at least temporarily.
Looks like Bastardo had TJ in June, so would be on the DL all season, so would be easy to hang onto. Looks to be a changeup guy with crummy control.
In case anyone doesn’t know, MLB dot com will have live coverage of the draft at 2 p.m. EST. It’s great fun for baseball nerds (we all know who we are).
For added fun, have a drink whenever you hear the word “upside.”
Laugh laugh..
I’m disappointed. They’re blowing through this with no room for expert studio analysis.
This is where Dombrowski is going to make his big move.
I wonder if anyone will take Navigato or Workman from the Tigers?
I honestly hope not.
Bluesky link lol
Here’s hoping for Bryan Magdaleno to Baltimore
Orioles pass. Take a drink every time you hear the word “pass.”
Without structural changes to incentivize active use and development of selected players, the draft risks becoming a perfunctory exercise rather than a meaningful avenue for talent redistribution in MLB.
I knew Workman would get picked.
That kinda sucks.
Angel Bastardo is an all time name
How can the Rockies pass? They’re 26 man will look similar to the 2024 White Sox, destined to lose at least 100 games. There’s not one player they’ve scouted in the last couple years and like enough to carry on their big league roster?
Scouting? The Rockies?
Great pickup of Juan Nunez by Padres. He’s 24 in high A but has a lot of potential to move quick. He might get squeezed out and sent back but could be a great move if they can hold onto him
Stats on that Lavender guy look filthy. Watch him become the Rays next stud reliever.
I am just befuddled that the Rockies didn’t think there was anyone available that would improve their 40 man roster. Even if they don’t stick, just trying someone out in Spring Training seems like a worthwhile gamble. Sigh.
Had a feeling either Griff McGarry or Eiby Castellano would get plucked from the Phillies. Amazes me they haven’t cashed in some of these prospects getting to their mid 20’s that still have some value. In a pitching starved league – you’re telling me a team like Astros or Angels with terrible farm systems – wouldn’t send say Chas McCormick & overpaid Ryan Pressly or Jo Adell & Reid Detmers to the Phillies for a package of 5 top 30 or so close to MLB prospects? Phillies roster is stacked, there’s no room for Otto Kemp, Carlos de la Cruz & Mick Abel. Trade these 24, 25 year old prospects while they still have value. Not keep them until they fall off prospects lists and release them like they did Simon Mizzuiotti. Hope they are having some productive conversations at the winter meetings bc they need to make some moves to that roster.