Five Rule 5 Draft picks worth paying attention to this season – MLB.com

For many players, the only thing they want is a real opportunity, a chance to show off their skills instead of being relegated to the bench or the Minors before their best years are up. Thursday’s Rule 5 draft is an attempt to rectify that. Any players not on their team’s 40-man roster that have played for four years and were signed at 19 (or five years if at 18), are eligible to be selected. 

Because there is always hope. And while many players are sent back to their teams or become little more than role players, surprises always sneak their way in there. Players like Johan Santana, Dan Uggla and Josh Hamilton to name a few were selected as Rule 5 picks, while Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera came out of the draft to hit .297 with 8 HRs last season. 

So out of the 16 names selected this year, here are the five we’re most excited to check out come Spring Training. And for scouting reports for the whole list, head over to MLB Pipeline. 

Tyler Goeddel – Phillies

Former team: Rays

The Phillies are once again looking for a boost in their outfield with another toolsy outfielder. Taken first overall in the Rule 5 Draft, Goeddell, the brother of the Mets’ Erik Goeddell, has a powerful throwing arm, speed (28 steals, 10 3Bs) and the ability to jack out dingers. Though he hit 12 last year, there is plenty to dream on his 6-foot-4 frame. 

Luis Perdomo – Padres

Former team: Cardinals

Most pitchers selected in the draft are pegged for the bullpen. After all, they usually come with big fastballs, but lack the targeting mechanism necessary with which to place them or the secondary options to keep batters off-balance. 

Not so in Perdomo’s case. The right-hander posted a 3.98 ERA while striking out 8.4 batters per nine and walking only 2.6/9 in Class A and Advanced Class A last year. While that’s a big jump to make, he was also in the Futures Game in 2015. Does this mean the Padres traveled to the future, saw how Perdomo’s career turned out, traveled back in time, and then selected Perdomo? Probably not, but maybe.  

Colin Walsh – Brewers

Former team: Athletics

Do you like walks? I said do you like walks?! If OBP is your jam and you simply can’t get enough of players maxing out their ability by doing all the little things that need doing, Colin Walsh is your man. Not surprising given that he’s coming from Oakland.

Walsh hit .302/.447/.470 with 13 HRs while primarily playing 2B. Though the power is nice from a middle infielder, the Minors-leading 124 walks is what you’re really here to see. Especially for a team like the Brewers who finished 25th in OBP last season. 

Jabari Blash – Padres

Former team: Mariners

Beyond having the best name in the draft, we may as well start calling him Jabari Bash. Or Smash. Or Jabari Blash-ted. Basically, there’s a lot of ways to call his home runs. 

Blash hit 32 home runs between Double and Triple-A last season, though of course that came with a downside: strikeouts. Blash also whiffed more than once a game, though if you want homers like these, that’s the kind of thing you need to put up with. 

Deolis Guerra – Angels

Former team: Pirates

If the name seems similar to you, there’s a reason for that: Guerra was one of the key prospects included in the Mets’ trade for Johan Santana. Sure, that came all the way back in 2008 — another lifetime ago — but Guerra finally made his big league debut in 2015, striking out 17 batters in 16 2/3 innings. Given that he also posted a 1.17 ERA in the Minors this year, it looks like Guerra could be a key bullpen piece. Even if it is almost a full decade after we first learned his name. 

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