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MLB Rule 5 Draft Review

By Benjamin Chase

Aug 11, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; A general view of the MLB logo with Colorado Rockies batting gear on it during the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Colorado Rockies won 12-9. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 11, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; A general view of the MLB logo with Colorado Rockies batting gear on it during the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Colorado Rockies won 12-9. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

MLB Portion, 2 rounds, 18 selections

The San Diego Padres ended up absolutely dominating this draft, as they have now traded for all three of the top selections in the draft, but we’ll take a look at each player picked:

Round 1:
1. Minnesota Twins – Miguel Diaz, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers, Video – Traded to the Padres, Diaz could be a legit reliever right now with an upper 90s fastball and a wicked slider. He missed time due to a fracture in his elbow in 2015. Likely to stick in the bullpen.
2. Cincinnati Reds – Luis Torrens, C, New York Yankees, Video – The Padres traded for this selection. Torrens tore the labrum in his shoulder and missed his entire 2015 and missed a piece of his 2016 recovering. Excellent defender with good offensive skills, but very, very raw for MLB.
3. San Diego Padres – Allen Cordoba, SS, St. Louis Cardinals, Video – Fairly high-end offensive profile, but he’s never played beyond rookie ball. Very young at only 21 (just turned so on Tuesday), but going to have a rough adjustment to big league ball unless the Padres work out a trade to hold onto him after this pick.
4. Tampa Bay Rays – Kevin Gadea, RHP, Seattle Mariners – Advanced pitchability guy who took a step forward with his stuff last year to a mid-90s fastball. Could start or use his three-pitch mix for multiple innings in the bullpen with very solid control.
5. Atlanta Braves – Armando Rivero, RHP, Chicago Cubs, Video – Older for this draft at 28 years old, but Rivero was a Cuban defector, and he has incredible velocity on his fastball and a hard slider, which allowed him to rack up 105 strikeouts in just 67 2/3 innings in the PCL last year. Should stay in the Braves bullpen all season.
6. Oakland Athletics – Full Roster
7. Arizona Diamondbacks – Tyler Jones, RHP, New York Yankees, Video – Bounced from the Twins to the Braves to the Yankees in the last three season in the minors, Jones is a guy with solid velocity that can get up to the upper 90s. He lacks a consistent secondary pitch, so he lives on location of the fastball, which is a dangerous thing at the big league level, but it is a heavy sinking fastball when he’s on top of it right.
8. Philadelphia Phillies – Full Roster
9. Milwaukee Brewers – Caleb Smith, LHP, New York Yankees, Video – Considered a likely bullpen guy out of the draft, Smith finally made that transition in late 2016, and he could be an excellent LOOGY, which is often what you see found in the Rule 5.
10. Los Angeles Angels – Justin Haley, RHP, Boston Red Sox, Video – Traded to the Padres, who then traded him to the Twins in their trade to acquire Diaz, Haley is a guy who could stick as a back end starter with present control and command, but not really overwhelming stuff. Likely ideally a swingman in the big leagues.
11. Colorado Rockies – Passed
12. Chicago White Sox – Dylan Covey, RHP, Oakland Athletics, Video – Drafted in the first round out of high school, Covey made a smart choice to stay home to learn to manage a newly-found diagnosis of Type I Diabetes rather than sign, attending the University of San Diego. He’s been solid in Oakland’s system, and he had a very good year where he finished in AA in 2016 which could lead to him being ready in 2017 to take a 5th spot in a rotation or be a bullpen swingman.
13. Pittsburgh Pirates – Tyler Webb, LHP, New York Yankees, Video – Webb jumped three levels in 2014 and looked to be knocking on the big league door, but he missed time due to a tendon injury, and they’ve been easing his workload up since, but he showed the ability to be an excellent LOOGY.
14. Miami Marlins – Passed
15. Kansas City Royals – Passed
16. Houston Astros – Roster Full
17. New York Yankees – Roster Full
18. Seattle Mariners – Roster Full
19. St. Louis Cardinals – Passed
20. Detroit Tigers – Daniel Stumpf, LHP, Kansas City Royals, Video – Fitting the type of guy you can get in the Rule 5, Stumpf was picked up by the Phillies from the White Sox last season, jumped three minor league levels to the major leagues with Philadelphia, and then ended up in KC’s system. The Royals left him unprotected, and he should fit well for the Tigers as a LOOGY type.
21. San Francisco Giants – Passed
22. New York Mets – Roster Full
23. Baltimore Orioles – Aneury Tavarez, OF, Boston Red Sox, Video – Tavarez is a guy who still exudes raw athleticism, but he struggles with his strike zone judgement. He’ll be a long shot to make it, but he has the athleticism that could do it if the team could live with the low walk rate.
24. Toronto Blue Jays – Glenn Sparkman , RHP, Kansas City Royals, Video – Returning from Tommy John surgery in 2016, Sparkman had a solid season that finished with him in AA. Sparkman’s stuff isn’t elite, but he makes it play up with a deceptive delivery. He works with a low-90s fastball, cut change, and a hard slider as his three best pitches, which could be a potentially effective mix out of the bullpen.
25. Los Angeles Dodgers – Roster Full
26. Boston Red Sox – Josh Rutledge, IF, Colorado Rockies, Video – Rutledge has been with the Red Sox before, and this is an excellent way to acquire a guy who has major league experience for a cheap cost in the Rule 5 rather than the free agent market.
27. Cleveland Indians – Hoby Milner, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies, Video – Transitioned to the bullpen in 2015 and made it to AAA in 2016 in the Phillies system. Excellent LOOGY potential with the ability to work on both sides of the plate with an excellent curve and control.
28. Washington Nationals – Passed
29. Texas Rangers – Mike Hauschild , RHP, Houston Astros, Video – A command/control guy who has walked less than 2.5 per 9 innings over his entire minor league career, has the stuff to be a solid swing man or even see his stuff play up to be a 6th/7th inning guy in the bullpen. Pretty decent return on a 33rd round draft pick.
30. Chicago Cubs – Passed

Round 2 (only those with an open roster spot that did make a selection in round 1 are able to continue to round 2):
1. Cincinnati Reds – Stuart Turner, C, Minnesota Twins, Video – Highly regarded entering the 2013 draft, the Twins were excited to get Turner in the 3rd round, but his bat has simply not developed the way they were hoping. Excellent defender with surprising agility and defensive ability for a big (6’2, 225) catcher.
2. San Diego Padres – Passed
3. Arizona Diamondbacks – Passed
4. Baltimore Orioles – Anthony Santander, OF, Cleveland Indians, Video – Barely missed my top 10 list for the Indians, which is the level of talent Santander has. He made an adjustment to his swing that will likely lead to more strikeouts, but it did allow him to tap into his solid power. Perfect organization in Baltimore to work with his limited defensive profile (RF/DH only) while utilizing his switch-hitting power bat.
5. Toronto Blue Jays – Passed
6. Cleveland Indians – Passed

Next: Minor League portion

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