This year’s Rule 5 Draft is set to start in a little bit, and I’ll be covering the picks here. The Chicago Cubs pick sixth, and have plenty of 40-man roster space to pick a couple players if they see anyone they like. The pick costs just $50,000, but, in order to keep the kid, he would have to stick on the Cubs’ 25-man roster for most of the 2012 season (you can play some disabled list shenanigans).
On the losing side, the Cubs have a number of players who could be selected today, including utility infielders Ryan Flaherty and Marwin Gonzalez, and pitchers Dae-Eun Rhee and Ryan Searle. The decision not to protect Flaherty, who could contribute off the bench to any number of big league teams in 2012, was particularly surprising.
(So, the Pujols news really jacked this thing up.)
Round One:
1. Astros – Rhiner Cruz, RHP (Mets)
2. Twins – Terry Doyle, RHP (White Sox)
3. Mariners – Lucas Luetge, RHP (Brewers)
4. Orioles – And the Orioles take Ryan Flaherty. He has a good chance of sticking there. Defense has always been questionable, but he’s got a bat that could keep him in the bigs.
5. Royals – Cesar Cabral, LHP (Red Sox)
6. Cubs – Lendy Castillo, RHP (Phillies). Castillo, 22, is a converted pitcher, who has been good in relief in the year and a half since the conversion, but is really low-level. Presumably he’ll compete for a bullpen spot.
7. Padres – Pass.
8. Pirates – Gustavo Nunez, SS (Tigers)
9. Marlins – Pass.
10. Rockies – Pass.
11. Athletics – Pass.
12. Mets – Pass.
13. White Sox – Pass.
14. Reds – Pass.
15. Indians – Pass.
16. Nationals – Pass.
17. Blue Jays – Pass.
18. Dodgers – Pass.
19. Angels – Pass.
20. Giants – Pass.
21. Braves – Robert Fish, LHP (Angels)
22. Cardinals – Eric Komatsu, OF (Nationals)
23. Red Sox – And the Red Sox take Gonzalez. Bummer. He probably didn’t have a spot on the big league roster this year, anyway. Could be tough for him to stick all year in Boston. Let the speculation about the Cubs letting the Red Sox keep him anyway as compensation for Theo begin. (UPDATE: Sounds like the Red Sox are flipping Gonzalez to the Astros, where he’ll have a strong chance to stick. Crud.)
24. Rays – Pass.
25. Diamondbacks – Brett Lorin, RHP (Pirates)
26. Tigers – Pass.
27. Brewers – Pass.
28. Rangers – Pass.
29. Yankees – Brad Meyers, RHP (Nationals)
30. Phillies – Pass.