Rule 5 Draft: Breaking Down Major League Picks

a-Traded to Padres for Justin Haley and cash; b-Traded to Twins for cash, and then Padres for Diaz; c-Traded to Cubs for cash; d-Traded to Padres for player to be named or cash

1. a-Twins: Miguel Diaz, rhp, Brewers.Diaz missed a lot of time in 2015 with an avulsion fracture in his pitching elbow, but he returned to action before the season ended and his stuff was every bit as good as before–a lively 93-95 mph fastball and solid secondaries.

2. d-Reds: Luis Torrens, c, Yankees. Defense-first Venezuelan missed all of 2015 with torn labrum but came back to throw out 42 percent of runners at low Class A in 2016

3. Padres: Allen Cordoba, ss, Cardinals. The Cardinals took an understandable gamble in leaving Cordoba unprotected. Few unprotected players have more tools than Cordoba—he’s a shortstop with an above-average arm who will probably be able to stay at the position. And so far, Cordoba has hit everywhere he’s gone. Cordoba was MVP of the Gulf Coast League in 2015 and followed that up by hitting .362/.427/.495 in the Appy League this season.

4. Rays: Kevin Gadea, rhp, Mariners. The big Nicaraguan has a mid-90s fastball and double-plus control, but has never pitched above low Class A and is raw on the mound as a converted third baseman. Gadea showed enough stuff and control to convince the Rays he could hang on in a major league bullpen for a year and eventually be developed as a starter.

5. Braves, Armando Rivero, Cubs. Rivero, 28, is a Cuban who spent four seasons in the Cubs system after signing in March 2013, including 114 games at Triple-A Iowa. In that span, he’s pitched 155 innings in the Pacific Coast League, with 79 walks (4.58 BB/9 IP) and 204 strikeouts (11.8 K/9). He has a 94-97 mph fastball at his best to go with a mid-80s slider and firm changeup, which have their moments but lack plus grades. He was pitching well this winter in the Venezuelan League, having allowed only one run in nine innings.

6. Athletics: Full roster

7. Diamondbacks: Tyler Jones, rhp, Yankees. The former LSU standout has touched 97 mph on the radar gun and is coming off a 6-2, 2.17 showing at Double-A out of the bullpen.

8. Phillies. Full roster

9. c-Brewers: Caleb Smith, lhp, Yankees. Pitchability lefty with a low-90s fastball and solid-average changeup has had success both starting and in relief at Double-A.

10. b-Angels: Justin Haley, rhp, Red Sox. Haley is the owner of possibly the coolest pre-pitch setups in the minors. He sets up on the third-base side of the rubber, with his other foot straddling the rubber. With the ball in his glove raised in front of his face, he looks in for the sign with his pitching hand cocked at his waist, fingers dancing back and forth like Wyatt Earp ready to draw. He gets the sign for the pitch and then locks, loads and fires. As a starter, Haley’s velocity ticked up as the season warmed up. Late in the season he was sitting 90-92, but his fastball plays up because he locates it well. He also has an above-average slider as well as a useable curveball and changeup. He was dominant in Double-A this year and solid in Triple-A as a starter. He’s been impressive in the Dominican Republic this fall with Escogido (2-0, 0.38, 24 IP, 12 H, 4 BB, 14 SO).

11. Rockies: Pass

12. White Sox, Dylan Covey, rhp, Athletics. Covey was drafted 14th overall by the Brewers in 2010, but after a late Type I diabetes diagnosis, he decided to go to college at San Diego so he could better deal with his health. The Athletics drafted him in 2013 in the fourth round. Four years into his pro career, Covey was off to a solid start before he tore his left oblique on May 8, in the first inning of his sixth start, and missed the remainder of the season. He resumed pitching in the Arizona Fall League and pitched the first five innings of a combined no-hitter, but gave up 28 hits in his other 19.2 innings. Covey can touch 95 mph with his fastball, but his delivery is not smooth and causes his command to waver. Covey’s front knee is stiff and his delivery is difficult to repeat. With poor command and an inconsistent delivery, Covey likely will shift to the bullpen where his sinker, average curveball and changeup might play up.

13. Pirates: Tyler Webb, lhp, Yankees. Webb has enough velocity (90-92 mph) with a slider and a changeup. Webb held lefties to a .559 OPS in 2016. It’s no fluke as he held lefties to a .525 OPS with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2015 as well.

14. Marlins: Pass

15. Royals: Pass

16. Astros: Full roster

17. Yankees: Full roster

18. Mariners: Full roster

19. Cardinals: Pass

20. Tigers, Daniel Stumpf, lhp, Royals. Stumpf was a Rule 5 pick last year, but his stint with the Phillies was not exactly one to remember. Stumpf allowed three runs without recording an out in his MLB debut. After two more outings, he was suspended 80 games for testing positive for a performance enhancing drug—Stumpf says he does not know how the drug got into his system. Upon his return, he made four more appearances, allowing at least one hit in each, and was returned to the Royals after another three-run outing left him with a 10.80 ERA. As ugly as Stumpf’s year was, he was very effective with Double-A Northwest Arkansas after he returned to the Royals and he’s pitched well in Venezuela in winter ball. Stumpf is the same guy he was last year—a matchup lefty with an average fastball and a fringy but usable slider and changeup.

21. Giants: Pass

22. Mets: Full roster

23. Orioles: Aneury Tavarez, of, Red Sox. As a 24-year-old, Tavarez ranked in the top five in the “modern” triple crown categories in the Double-A Eastern League in batting in 2016, hitting .335/.379/.506 to rank second in batting, third in OBP and fourth in slugging. His 13 triples ranked second. A 5-foot-9 former second baseman with average speed and modest power, he’s a fine fit as a non-profile left fielder if he continues to hit for high average.

24. Blue Jays: Glenn Sparkman, rhp, Royals. Had Tommy John surgery that cost him most of 2015, but returned to make 16 starts in 2016 and was effective out of the rotation with three average pitches and plus control.

25. Dodgers: Full roster

26. Red Sox: Josh Rutledge, if, Rockies. Played parts of last two years in majors with Red Sox before signing with Rockies as a free agent Nov. 23, now headed back to Boston two weeks later

27. Indians: Hoby Milner, lhp, Phillies. Milner starred at Texas in a swing role from 2010-12, posting a 2.44 ERA in 188 innings. He reached Double-A as a conventional-delivery starter, but the Phillies dropped his slot in 2015 and made him a reliever. He starred in 2016 for Double-A Reading (5-3, 1.84) after a rougher start in Triple-A, but overall in 65 innings he posted 76 strikeouts (10.5 K/9) and just 15 walks (2.1 BB/9). Eastern Leaguers batted .207/.264/.256 against his 88-91 mph fastball and mid-70s curve.

28. Nationals: Pass

29. Rangers, Mike Hauschild, rhp, Astros. Hauschild is a reliable Triple-A starter with an average 89-93 mph fastball, solid secondaries and a useful statistical resume—9-10, 3.22 with a 3.64 FIP and 2.5 BB/9 and 7.7 K/9.

30. Cubs: Pass

Second Round

Reds: Stuart Turner, c, Twins. It wasn’t all that long ago that Turner was battling with Mitch Garver for the title of best catching prospect in the Twins system, which makes sense since both college catchers were drafted in 2013. But while Garver hit at Double-A and Triple-A, Turner’s bat has stalled at Double-A. Turner is solid enough defensively to be a big league backup, but he hasn’t shown the pop teams usually look for in their backup catcher.

Orioles: Anthony Santander, of, Indians. Santander would rank among the best available players in this year’s Rule 5 draft if not for the surgery on his throwing shoulder he’s undergone this fall. Santander has played both the outfield and first base, but he fits better at first. He has plus power potential and some feel for hitting as well, but is a rehabbing hitter with no experience above Class A.