You used to be able to snag some damn-fine players in the annual Rule 5 Draft. But a change in the rules has made that more difficult, leading to questions about the continuing relevance of the draft. And with 13-man pitching staffs and so many teams harboring reasonable hopes for the playoffs, it's more difficult than ever to carry a player who's on the roster just to satisfy the rules.
I was surprised to find, though, that most of the guys taken in last December's Rule 5 Draft actually did make their new clubs' Opening Day rosters; one of them has even been written about by Ken Rosenthal!
As a public service, then a rundown:
1. Oscar Hernandez (Diamondbacks)
This was a ... strange choice? Considering that Hernandez, a 21-year-old catcher, spent last season in the Midwest League and batted .249/.301/.401. Which leaves one to surmise that he's some sort of catch-and-throw savant. Granted, you can park a backup catcher on your 25-man roster without doing much damage. On the other hand, maybe the Diamondbacks just wanted to get a really good look at Hernandez in spring training; if you don't want to keep a Rule 5 guy in the majors, you can always try to trade for him instead. Anyway, the Diamondbacks got off the hook when Hernandez broke a hamate bone last month. When he's all healed, and completes what figures to be the maximum permissible rehab stint in the minors, something will have to give.
2. Mark Canha (Rockies)
As Ken Rosenthal wrote earlier this week, it's the Athletics who really wanted Canha, when the Marlins left him off their 40-man roster. But the A's didn't have an early Rule 5 Draft pick. So Billy Beane worked out a deal, wherein the Rockies used the second pick on Canha, then traded him to the A's for minor-league pitcher Austin House. Canha's actually been playing, and playing well. FanGraphs' Chris Mitchell essentially pegs Canha as a replacement-level player. But if you're short one of those, the Rule 5 Draft is a pretty good place to find one.
3. Delino DeShields Jr. (Rangers)
The "Jr." is just a contrivance of convenience, by the way; he and his old man have different middle names. Anyway, this Delino DeShields is still quite young, and was once considered a fine prospect, playing well as a 19-year-old three years ago in the South Atlantic League. His stock fell some, but he's still young enough and fast enough to have a real career in the majors, and the Rangers have the roster space and the time for patience.
4. Jason Garcia (Astros)
The Astros drafted Garcia, then immediately sold his contract to the Orioles. There's nothing in Garcia's pedigree that suggests greatness or future greatness -- he's a 17th-round draft pick with a 4.70 ERA in the minors -- but he does throw real hard, and once struck out 14 out of 18 baby Birds he faced in an instructional-league game. He's pitched in a couple of games with the big club, but one wonders how long a contending team will stick with a reliever who obviously has some work to do.
5. J.R. Graham (Twins)
For an anonymous relief pitcher, Graham's already made quite a bit of news. First the Twins grabbed him from the Braves in the Rule 5 Draft, and they kept him. Then he rocked the stirrups, so his legally blind mom could identify him (which is, so far, the only reason I've ever heard for every player not wearing stirrups). And then he broke Alex Rios' pinky finger with a fastball, for which Rios blamed the Twins, as an organization. In the old days, you really could bury a relief pitcher on your roster, but the managers these days run through their bullpen so quickly that Graham has already pitched in a couple of close games (or games that were close when he pitched).
7. Taylor Featherston (Cubs)
What on earth would the Cubs do with another young shortstop? Immediately sell him to the Angels, as things turned out. It's not clear what the Angels saw (and see) in Featherston, who's 25 (and a half!) and was just decent in the Double-A Texas League last year. He's currently on the 25-man roster as primary utility infielder, but these days it'll be surprising if a contending club can carry a guy like this all season. You gotta figure Mike Scioscia is just thrilled to have him, though.
8. Odubel Herrera (Phillies)
Now if there's a team that should be carrying a Rule 5 pick, it's the Phillies. Well, them and the Twins. Herrera's still fairly young (23) and did fairly well in the Texas League last season, batting .321 to win the batting crown. Mostly an infielder in the minors, Herrera's playing center field for the Phillies. Hey, why not.
9. Andrew McKirahan (Marlins)
Except now he's a Brave. The Marlins drafted him from the Cubs. But when they didn't want him, he had to pass through waivers before going back to the Cubs. And the Braves grabbed him and put on their Opening Day roster. In his debut, McKirahan gave up a go-ahead sacrifice fly but otherwise did well enough. He throws mid-90s fastballs, but then who doesn't?
10. Sean Gilmartin (Mets)
Gilmart, drafted from the Twins, has pitched in three games and all three were close. Again, that's just the way of the world these days. With numerous relief pitchers used in most games and few pitchers working in more than two or three straight games, everybody gets to pitch! Even the ones, like Gilmartin, who haven't done much professionally to earn the chance.
11. Daniel Winkler (Braves)
In losing Featherston and Winkler, the rebuilding Rockies were the only club to lose two players in the Rule 5 Draft. Maybe that says something positive about their farm system? Winkler pitched exceptionally well in Double-A last summer before tearing his elbow ligament. When he's ready to pitch again, presumably late this summer, his situation will get complicated.
12. David Rollins (Mariners)
Speaking of complicated! Lefty David Rollins, drafted from the Astros, pitched well in spring training and was expected to stick with the M's. Then he got busted for Stanozol, and suspended for 80 games. Whether he sticks after the suspension will probably depend as much on how the M's relief pitchers are doing as anything else. But it seems there's always room for another reliever...
13. Logan Verrett (Orioles)
Except now he's a Ranger. The O's drafted him from the Mets, but couldn't find room on their Opening Day roster. And before Verrett could head back to the Mets, the Rangers claimed him on waivers. Verrett's been a solid starter in the minors despite the lack of a single outstanding pitch, but to this point he's just made a few relief outings for the Rangers. Then again, considering the club's injury luck, Verrett figures to get a shot in the rotation eventually.
And there you have them. There were two more picks, by the way. The Red Sox took Astros pitcher Jandel Gustave with the sixth pick, but he's back in Houston's system now. And the Phillies took Pirates lefty Andy Oliver with the 14th (and last) Rule 5 pick. Oliver, who got cups of coffee in 2010 and '11, ultimately signed a minor-league deal with the Rays after the Phillies tried to send him to the minors.
One blog described Oliver's signing as "mostly irrelevant breaking news" and that's probably fair. In a few months, we'll know if that label applies to the entire 2014 Rule 5 Draft. Or just most of it.
