2024 Rule 5 Draft Preview: Top Players To Know

Blaine Crim, 1B, Rangers

Crim was a prominent member of last year’s Rule 5 preview. He went back to Triple-A Round Rock for a second straight season and posted a very similar line, hitting .277/.370/.469 with 33 doubles and 20 home runs. The righthanded hitter hits lefties and righties and draws plenty of walks. A first base/DH profile is a tough one for a Rule 5 pick, but it’s also one that has seen some success over the years. At 27 years old, Crim is a low-risk, low-cost pick to bring to spring training for a rebuilding team with a need at DH who can also play some first base. The hope is he can do what Ryan Noda did for the A’s a couple years ago: provided solid production at first base/DH for league-minimum salary.

Bob Seymour, 1B, Rays

Seymour is a lefthanded first baseman who hits the ball really hard. He hits the ball in the air enough that if he makes enough contact, he could get to 25 or more home runs. He hit 28 homers in 2024, including 19 in just 57 games after his promotion to Triple-A Durham. A hitter who hit .281/.451/.523 overall and .269/.353/.601 in Triple-A is worth a look in the Rule 5 draft.

However, he also struck out 30.5% of the time and is vulnerable to velocity, so there are some flaws here as well. He has also never played a position other than first base. There are fears that he’s more of a quality Quad-A bat. Think of him as a first base version of Mark Payton, who was an MLB Rule 5 pick in 2019 after he hit 30 home runs in Triple-A. Payton didn’t stick, but he did get 40 games in the majors over the next three seasons.

Shane Smith, RHP, Brewers

Smith pitched sparingly at Wake Forest due to Tommy John surgery before signing with the Brewers as a nondrafted free agent in 2021. At 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, the 24-year-old Smith threw a career-high 94.1 innings in 2024, posting a 3.05 ERA with 113 strikeouts and 29 walks mostly for Double-A Biloxi with five relief outings for Triple-A Nashville. Smith split time between starting and the bullpen, pitching off a fastball that sits 92-96 mph and can reach 98. He mixes in an average curveball and slider, a repertoire that likely plays better in short relief outings rather than getting through a lineup multiple times.

Kala’i Rosario, OF, Twins

Rosario was an interesting decision for the Twins. He has a chance to be an everyday outfielder with legitimate power, but he played just 69 games in 2024 because of injuries, and it’s hard to project a .235/.321/.405 hitter in Double-A as big-league ready. Rosario’s plus power comes with swing-and-miss issues. He knows the strike zone reasonably well, but good pitching can beat him in the zone. His strong arm fits in right field. A team might pick him. Whether he can stick will be a tougher challenge.

Ricardo Olivar, C/OF, Twins

Olivar is unlikely to be ready for a big league job. He has just 77 plate appearances above Class A, and he hit .224/.325/.299 in that stint with Double-A Wichita. But his on-base skills and his defensive versatility as a catcher and left fielder make him tempting for a rebuilding team willing to take a chance on suffering through some early struggles. He has an Edouard Julien-like approach, but with less defensive value and he hits righthanded instead of lefty. Olivar hits plenty of line drives, even if he lacks top-end power potential.

Ryan Ward, OF/1B, Dodgers

Ward’s 33 home runs with Oklahoma City led both the Pacific Coast League and all of Triple-A. His 34 home runs overall were second in the minors behind only Deyvison De Los Santos. The analytics under the hood aren’t as impressive and he has strikeouts to go with his home runs. Teams might worry the PCL boosted his power considering he didn’t a ball above 110 mph all season. But Ward has always gotten the most out of his power. He has averaged one home run every 20 plate appearances for his pro career.

Omar Alfonzo, C, Pirates

Alfonzo isn’t ready for a big league job, but his progress in 2024 might be enough to at least make a team consider stashing him. He doesn’t turn 22 years old until August and is coming off a year where he hit .252/.357/.403 with 13 homers while reaching High-A Greensboro. The lefthanded-hitting catcher has above-average power potential and improved his 106.4 mph 90th percentile exit velocity by nearly 4 mph compared to 2023. He’s also a solid thrower. His receiving is still a work-in-progress and he still hit the ball on the ground almost 49% of the time, but he received positive internal and external reviews following the season and figures to rank squarely in the Pirates Top 30. 

Sammy Siani, OF, Pirates

The Pirates left their 2019 supplemental first-rounder unprotected for the second consecutive season. Siani finally advanced beyond High-A in 2024 and put up a league-average offensive campaign across 96 Double-A games. Siani produced a solid line in the Arizona Fall League and looks to be trending upward. He can play all three outfield positions and shows solid plate skills. He fits best as a fourth or fifth outfielder. 

A.J.Vukovich, OF, D-Backs

A fourth-round pick in 2020, Vukovich had arguably his best season as a professional in 2024. The outfielder hit .270/.342/.458 with 17 home runs with Double-A Amarillo, good enough for a 123 wRC+. Vukovich is a slugger with above-average athleticism and fringy bat-to-ball skills. His above-average swing decisions give the profile a chance to work in the major leagues. Corner outfielders tend not to be particularly attractive as Rule 5 picks, but Vukovich has upside. 

Damon Keith, OF, Dodgers

There are few players available in the Rule 5 Draft with as much raw power as Keith. His 108.9 mph 90th percentile exit velocity ranks third-highest among Rule 5 eligible players. Keith hit .259/.340/.496 with 16 home runs for Double-A Tulsa over 75 games. Keith has below-average contact skills, but above-average swing decisions with elite contact quality. He has seen time in both outfield corner spots and has a power-hitting three-true-outcome type profile. 

Miguel Ullola, RHP, Astros

Houston’s decision to leave the righthander unprotected was a bit of a surprise. He seemed to take a step forward with his command in 2024, even if it’s still below-average. Ullola has a plus fastball that sits 93-95 mph with 19 inches of induced vertical break and 6.5 feet of extension. Ullola’s primary secondary is a hard slider sitting 86-88 mph and is a good swing and miss pitch. He’ll mix in a two-plane curveball and changeup. Ullola could be fast-tracked in relief with the type of premium stuff that plays up in short spurts. 

Bryan Magdaleno, LHP, Rangers

Magdaleno is a low-slot lefthander with good power across his pitch mix and three quality pitch shapes. He has very limited experience above Low-A, but did reach Double-A to end the season. His fastball sits 94-96 mph from a low release height and he mixes in a sweeper slider and a sinker. He allowed just six earned runs over 40.2 innings in 2024. Magdaleno generates groundballs, misses bats and has a good blend of stuff and deception. Some team might see him as a low-risk, high-upside bullpen addition.