These are the Yankees' Rule 5 Draft candidates
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The Yankees added three prospects to the 40-man roster at the tender deadline last month, shielding Top 100 outfielder Spencer Jones (No. 4) and right-handers Elmer Rodríguez (No. 3) and Chase Hampton (No. 8) from Rule 5 Draft eligibility. But that still leaves a host of players in the system – including seven of the club’s Top 30 prospects per MLB Pipeline – open to selection at the annual Rule 5 Draft, set for Wednesday at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.
Before we take a look at who might be in jeopardy, first, a Rule 5 refresher:
Players signed at age 18 or younger have to be added to a team’s 40-man roster within five seasons, and players signed at 19 or older must be added within four seasons, or else they become eligible for selection by another organization.
Teams have to pay a $100,000 fee to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft, and the player is required to remain on the 26-man roster for the full season. If the selecting team wants to remove him from the roster, the player must first be offered back to his former team for $50,000.
The Rule 5 Draft is always unpredictable. But there is a feeling things could be really active this time around, after teams made 83 total selections in last year’s Rule 5 – the most in 20 years, since 2004.
The Yankees rarely make a selection in the Rule 5 Draft and it's been more than 50 years since they held onto one for a full season (Billy Parker, 1973). But they lost five players in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft in 2024, and it is possible they could lose more players this time around.
Here are three of their prospects who appear the most vulnerable of being plucked.
Brock Selvidge, LHP (No. 10): The Yankees’ third-round Draft pick from 2021 was banged up for the second straight season. He didn’t make his season debut at Double-A until June and then pitched to a 4.92 ERA over 75 innings, with an elevated walk rate. He still has a high floor thanks to his above-average slider and solid command. But whether his future is as a back-end starter or useful left-handed reliever is unclear, and the injuries made it difficult to protect him on New York’s crowded roster. Another team could see a nearly big league-ready left-hander and give him a shot.
Brendan Beck, RHP (No. 11): The Yankees’ second-round pick from 2021 has missed significant time to injury – he’s 27 and just finished his first full pro season, splitting 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A. But Beck had success (albeit less at Triple-A) and has advanced control and command in a four-pitch package. His lack of any plus pitches give him a low ceiling, but a non-contending team could see him as a low-cost rotation option.
Harrison Cohen, RHP (No. 30): The 26-year-old righty is a prime Rule 5 target. He’s an older reliever with experience at the upper levels and strikeout stuff – the sort of plug-and-play bullpen option that tends to get selected in the Rule 5 Draft. The former undrafted free agent has posted consecutive seasons with sub-2.00 ERAs and struck out more than a batter per inning while pitching to a 1.57 ERA in 28 2/3 innings at Triple-A last season. He relies on deception and a slider/cutter combination that’s allowed him to succeed despite an ordinary fastball and sometimes shaky control.
Also worth mentioning: RHP Eric Reyzelman (No. 26)