12 prospects to watch for in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Rule 5 Draft isn't taking place until Wednesday, and while early buzz at the Winter Meetings might be about things like where Kyle Tucker will sign, there are always early whispers about names who could go in the Rule 5 Draft.

Teams haven't really started digging into the process of deciding whether they will take someone in the Major League phase and then who they will select, but as the baseball world descends on Orlando, there are some names who come to the foreground.

A refresher course: Players are Rule 5-eligible if they are not on the 40-man roster but were signed at 19 or older and have been in pro ball for four seasons or more or were signed at 18 or younger and have been in pro ball for five seasons or more.

Using a combination of thoughts from teams, agents and MLB Pipeline staff, here's an early list of names to watch that will be updated as we get closer to the Draft. Rank in their current team's top 30 is in parentheses when applicable.

Cameron Cauley, Rangers, SS/OF/2B (No. 17)

Cauley offers two things that can often help an offensive player stick in the Rule 5: speed and defensive versatility. He has a career stolen-base success rate of nearly 87 percent and swiped 28 bags while also hitting 15 homers last year at Double-A. The 2021 third-round pick has also shown he can play three up-the-middle positions defensively.

Christian Cerda, C, D-backs

Last year, Liam Hicks was a catcher taken by the Marlins who stuck. Could it be Cerda's turn this go-round? Backstops don't often make it, but Cerda did homer 18 times in 93 Double-A games last year (albeit aided by playing home games in Amarillo), but there's some right-handed juice, good walk rates and solid defense behind the dish here.

Will Childers, RHP, Brewers

The son of a big leaguer (Matt) and nephew of another (Jason), Childers was a non-drafted free-agent find by the Brewers in 2023 who split the 2025 season between the top two levels of the Miinors, saving nine games and striking out 9.5 per nine (albeit with a 5.6 BB/9 rate). He held hitters to a .176 batting average with a fastball that touched 99 mph and 84-86 mph breaking stuff that can miss bats.

Griff McGarry, RHP, Phillies

McGarry has shown off premium stuff since his Stanford days, but command has always held him back. His fastball sits 94 mph and touches the upper 90s with excellent extension, and his slider elicited a 52 percent miss rate, according to Synergy, in 2025. The Phillies moved him back into a starting role this year so he could keep working on all his stuff, and he took a step forward command-wise with a career-low walk rate ... that was still 5.3 per nine.

Hayden Mullins, LHP, Red Sox (No. 16)

A year ago, the White Sox nabbed Shane Smith with the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5, and he spent the year in their rotation. Mullins might be the best candidate to get the chance to start among those eligible. A 13.8 percent walk rate at Double-A might deter some, but he also struck out 30 percent of his batters faced for the year, getting swing-and-miss on his 91-94 mph fastball and low-80s two-plane slider.

Samy Natera Jr., LHP, Angels (No. 20)

It's a fastball-heavy approach here, with the southpaw throwing his riding heater 78.6 percent of the time overall. But that and his slider led to a 13.4 K/9 rate in 2025, though it came along with a 6.6 BB/9 rate. Of particular interest for teams might be his .160 BAA and .559 OPS-against vs. left-handed hitters last year.

RJ Petit, RHP, Tigers (No. 30)

The 6-foot-8 Petit is coming off a year that ended with a 2.44 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 79 K's in 66 1/3 innings. He relies heavily on his 83-85 mph slider with late break, getting swings-and-misses from right-handers and lefties alike. He brings a mid-90s fastball and upper-80s changeup to the mound as well.

José Rodríguez, RHP, Dodgers

Rodríguez might be worth a look based on his changeup alone. He sells his 86-88 mph cambio well with a unique delivery, huge extension and similar arm speed and tunnel to his 95-97 mph sinker. That changeup had a 67.3 percent whiff rate at Triple-A last year, and his short slider missed a ton of bats as well (to go along with a high walk rate).

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Alimber Santa, RHP, Astros (No. 13)

A 2025 Futures Game participant who moved from starting to relieving in mid-2024, Santa finished the season with a miniscule 1.26 ERA and finished the year at Triple-A at age 22. He's walked 6.0 per nine in his career but has struck out 11.3, and teams could have an interest in a full repertoire that features a mid-90s heater, feel for a changeup and a pair of breaking pitches.

Tyler Stuart, RHP, Nationals

This would be a take-and-stash scenario. The 6-foot-9 right-hander had Tommy John surgery this summer, so you could let him rehab all year before having to decide whether he's worth keeping. His two-plane low-80s slider is his go-to, and he couples it with a sinker, a changeup and a cutter, throwing enough strikes to give him a shot at starting when he's healthy.

Daniel Susac, A's, C (No. 11)

A first-rounder in 2022, Susac enjoyed the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2025, with career highs in a host of offensive categories from home runs (18) to OPS (.832). His proximity to the big leagues and decent catch-and-throw skills could give him the chance to be the rare backstop who sticks in the big leagues.

Ryan Watson, RHP, Giants

Originally signed by the Orioles as a non-drafted free agent in the pandemic-shortened 2020 Draft year, Watson reached Triple-A with Baltimore before being dealt to the Giants in August 2024. The 6-foot-5 right-hander spent the 2025 season with Triple-A Sacramento, saving nine games and striking out 11.4 per nine (vs. just 2.8 BB/9 but an inflated 10.3 hits/9), employing a fastball that can touch 97 mph and breaking stuff that elicited a 40 percent miss rate in the PCL.