TORONTO -- The Blue Jays have some difficult decisions to make in advance of Tuesday's deadline to protect players from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
Toronto has until Tuesday to add Rule 5-eligible players to the 40-man roster, which is the only way to guarantee their safety on Dec. 13, the day of the Draft. With too many prospects for too few spots, the Blue Jays are at risk of losing someone for the first time since 2011.
The Rule 5 Draft involves players who have been in the Minors for at least four or five years, depending on when they signed. Teams pay $100,000 per pick and the player must remain on the Major League roster for the entire season. If he doesn't, the prospect is offered back to the original club for $50,000.
The Blue Jays currently have four spots available on the 40-man. Additional space could be created by parting ways with players such as Yangervis Solarte, Dalton Pompey or Mark Leiter, but Toronto also needs room for free agents and trade targets. The roster crunch is a good problem to have, but it also creates a dilemma.
Here's a closer look at the Rule 5 candidates:
RHP Hector Perez: Perez is the Blue Jays' top-ranked prospect on this list, coming in at No. 11, according to MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old was a key part of the Roberto Osuna trade and it's pretty much a lock that he'll be added to the 40-man. Last season, Perez posted a 3.76 ERA with 133 strikeouts over 115 innings in the Minors. Command remains a concern, but he possesses an electric arm with upper-90s velocity, so he's probably not going anywhere.
RHP Patrick Murphy: The Blue Jays are looking to acquire young, controllable pitching -- not subtract -- so losing Murphy would sting. The 23-year-old took a big step forward last season by going 10-5 with a 2.64 ERA in 26 starts for Class A Advanced Dunedin. Toronto could leave Murphy exposed because of his inexperience above Class A, like it did with Jordan Romano a year ago, but odds are Murphy makes the 40-man roster.
LHP Travis Bergen: The 25-year-old put himself on the Blue Jays' radar in 2018 by posting a 0.95 ERA over 56 2/3 innings for Dunedin and Double-A New Hampshire. Bergen has yet to pitch in Triple-A, but there's always room for lefties, and if Bergen is exposed, there's a good chance he goes to another team. Toronto recently parted ways with Jose Fernandez, which could be one indication that it will protect Bergen.
RHP Jordan Romano: Romano was left exposed in 2017, but with no experience above Class A, he went unclaimed. Romano has since made 25 starts with New Hampshire, but a 4.13 ERA caused his stock to drop just a bit. It seems unlikely another team would take a chance on him as a starter, but he's the type of arm a lot of teams would consider stashing in their bullpen. At age 25, a jump to the big leagues is realistic, and leaving him exposed would be a risk.
RHP Jon Harris: Harris is a former first-rounder who is coming off a disappointing season for New Hampshire. In 25 starts, Harris went 12-5 but posted a 4.75 ERA while striking out just 6.5 batters per nine innings. His mid-90s velocity might play better out of the bullpen, and the pedigree alone will cause teams to give him a look.
RHP Jackson McClelland: McClelland is one of the most intriguing names on this list. Toronto's been taking an extended look at the 24-year-old in the Arizona Fall League and he remains a tantilizing arm with a fastball that hits triple digits. Command is still an issue, with 4.3 walks per nine innings in the Minors and nine walks over 12 innings in Arizona. McClelland is high-risk, high-reward, and the Rule 5 Draft allows teams to make cheap gambles.
OF Forrest Wall: MLB Pipeline ranked Wall the No. 24 prospect on Toronto's list. The 22-year-old was acquired in the Seunghwan Oh trade and he's coming off a season in which he posted a .746 OPS in the Minors. Wall needs more time, so he likely goes undrafted, but a team that lacks outfield depth might want to take a chance.
Worth mentioning: RHP Yennsy Diaz went 10-5 with a 3.05 ERA over 27 appearances this year in Class A. The talent is undeniable, but at age 22 it seems unlikely a team would take a chance on him this early ... RHP Jacob Waguespack was the return for Aaron Loup and with a full season at Triple-A under his belt he might be ready for the next step ... RHP Corey Copping was acquired for John Axford and posted a 2.39 ERA across two levels in 2018 ... C Max Pentecost appeared in a career-high 89 games for New Hampshire but he slashed just .253/.283/.401.