The 2014 MLB Rule 5 Draft is about to kick off from the Winter Meetings in San Diego. You can follow along live at MLB.com, or you can watch me do the update thing below. If you missed this morning’s extensive preview on the draft, check it out here.
I won’t be posting pick-by-pick, but I will note any selections by, from, or that impact the Cubs, together with whatever instant analysis pops into my increasingly sleep-deprived, and activity-ravaged brain.
Rule 5 Draft – Major League Phase
Wow. Nobody’s passing. Six picks in the first six spots. No Cubs yet.
CUBS: Select shortstop Taylor Featherston from the Rockies. Informative update coming.
The Marlins just took Andrew McKirahan, which we thought might happen this morning. He has a chance to stick there. It stinks, but it happens. Good for McKirahan.
CUBS: Passed in the second round, so they’re done in this phase.
What you immediately wonder about the Cubs’ selection is whether it is being done for another team, or maybe even for the Red Sox as the PTBNL they’re owed. Because, obviously, the Cubs are loaded in the infield right now. I’ll probably wait to hear if the Cubs are actually planning to keep him before diving too deep. He was a guy who was expected to be selected this year, though, and he sounds like a big league utility type who can play shortstop.
UPDATE: The Cubs traded Featherston to the Angels for cash, which means this was a pre-arranged deal with the Cubs picking Featherston, effectively, for the Angels.
Rule 5 Draft – Minor League Phase
Right off the bat, the Cubs lost Rock Shoulders (noooo! his name!!!) to the Rangers, and Luis Flores to the Astros.
CUBS: They took outfielder Ariel Ovando from the Astros. The Cubs get to keep him, so I’ll have to give him a look. I’m not familiar. But here’s something:
Cubs take OF Ariel Ovando, who signed for $2.6 million with Astros as a 16-year-old.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) December 11, 2014
Looks like Ovando was a big-time bonus baby, but he’s been slow to develop. He reached High-A as a 21-year-old last year, but hasn’t done much offensively. So, he’s still all projection, and unlikely to emerge as a legit prospect from here. Such is the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.
The Giants just took Brett Jackson from the Diamondbacks. Sad to see how far his star fell.
The draft has concluded. Nothing else really of note.