Goeddel first of 16 taken in big league Rule 5 Draft
Phillies pluck former Rays OF prospect with top pick; Padres acquire four players
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Rule 5 Draft annually serves as the official ending of the Winter Meetings. This year was no different, as all 30 Major League organizations came together for this coda at the Opryland Hotel to try to find some diamonds in the rough.
A total of 16 players were taken in the Major League phase of the Draft, 10 of them pitchers. The cost for making a selection is just $50,000, and this group will now get a chance in Spring Training to try to make their new organization's 25-man roster. If they don't stick all season, they must be offered back to their original club for $25,000.
It's a relatively inexpensive gamble to take, and the Phillies were the first to roll the dice when they selected outfielder Tyler Goeddel from the Tampa Bay Rays. Goeddel has some good tools and is coming off a solid season in Double-A, where he showed extra-base pop as well as basestealing ability. It's the second straight season the Phillies have selected an outfielder in the Rule 5 Draft, and they're obviously pleased with how Odubel Herrera turned out.
"I think this mirrors a lot what we tried to do last year with Herrera," Phillies pro scouting director Mike Ondo said. "It's taking a chance on a prospect and adding him to the mix that we have, trying to hit big on a player with a high ceiling. Goeddel excited us at the beginning of this whole process with his approach at the plate, the athleticism, the speed, the fact that he moved to the outfield this year and handled all three outfield positions. You have a baseball player here. He has instincts. He can steal bases. There's a lot of things to like about this player."
Video: Brewers add Walsh and Jones in Rule 5 Draft
While the Phillies, Reds and Brewers each took two prospects, it was the Padres who were the day's biggest players. San Diego made two selections -- right-handers Josh Martin (Indians) and Blake Smith (White Sox) -- and then traded for two others, getting a third right-hander in Luis Perdomo, whom the Rockies had taken from the Cardinals, and outfielder Jabari Blash, an A's selection from the Mariners.
:: Winter Meetings highlights ::
"With spots on the roster we cleared up, we looked at it as a chance to add four guys who can make the Major League club," Padres general manager A.J. Preller said. "I think at the end, they were four guys we liked. They'll come to Spring Training with a chance to compete."
Making the team is another matter. Historically, the Rule 5 Draft has about a 30 percent success rate in terms of guys sticking in the big leagues all season. But 2014 was a bit of an anomaly, with 10 of the 14 players taken in the Major League phase making contributions. Some, like Delino DeShields Jr. and Sean Gilmartin, performed in the postseason. Having four Rule 5 picks stick on one 25-man roster might seem like a tall order, but Preller is interested to see how it plays out.
"I think that would be a fun thing to see," Preller said. "It's not easy to do. We're not going to give out any scholarships. They've got to earn their way."
The Minor League phases of the Rule 5 Draft don't get the same attention the Major League one does, but teams were very active. A total of 48 players were taken in the Triple-A phase, where selections cost just $12,000 to make. There was just one Double-A phase pick, bringing the grand total of the 2015 Rule 5 Draft to 65 selections.
Video: Callis and Mayo break down the Rule 5 Draft results
These Minor League picks are not beholden to the same kind of roster rules as in the Major League phase; selecting teams can place the players where they see fit. There invariably are some intriguing names taken in the Minor League rounds, and this year's group is led by third baseman Zack Cox, who was taken in the Triple-A phase by the Nationals from the Marlins. Cox was a 2010 first-round pick of the Cardinals who hasn't yet lived up to his pre-Draft billing as an advanced bat.
• 2015 Rule 5 Draft pick scouting reports
Major League phase
Round 1
1. Philadelphia Phillies: Tyler Goeddel, OF, Rays
2. Cincinnati Reds: Jake Cave, OF, Yankees
3. Atlanta Braves: Evan Rutckyj, LHP, Yankees
4. Colorado Rockies: Luis Perdomo, RHP, Cardinals
5. Milwaukee Brewers: Colin Walsh, 2B, A's
6. Oakland Athletics: Jabari Blash, IF, Mariners
7. San Diego Padres: Josh Martin, RHP, Indians
8. Baltimore Orioles: Joey Rickard, OF, Rays
9. Los Angeles Angels: Deolis Guerra, RHP, Pirates
10. Toronto Blue Jays: Joseph Biagini, RHP, Giants
11. St. Louis Cardinals: Matthew Bowman, RHP, Mets
Round 2
12. Philadelphia Phillies: Daniel Stumpf, LHP, Royals
13. Cincinnati Reds: Chris O'Grady, LHP, Angels
14. Milwaukee Brewers: Zack Jones, RHP, Twins
15. San Diego Padres: Blake Smith, RHP, White Sox
16. Los Angeles Angels: Ji-Man Choi, 1B, Orioles
Complete Rule 5 Draft and prospect coverage on MLBPipeline.com
Triple-A phase
Round 1
1. Cincinnati Reds: Ariel Hernandez, RHP, D-backs
2. Atlanta Braves: Enderson Franco, RHP, Marlins
3. Colorado Rockies: Luis Niebla, RHP, Yankees
4. Milwaukee Brewers: Mitchell Lambson, LHP, Braves
5. Oakland Athletics: Danny Oh, OF, Yankees
6. Miami Marlins: Patrick Johnson, RHP, Pirates
7. Detroit Tigers: Kurt Spomer, RHP, Angels
8. Chicago White Sox: Manaure Martinez, RHP, Phillies
9. Seattle Mariners: Isaac Sanchez, RHP, Pirates
10. Boston Red Sox: Jhonny Polanco, RHP, Cardinals
11. Arizona Diamondbacks: Eduardo de Oleo, C, Yankees
12. Tampa Bay Rays: Adamm Kolarek, LHP, Orioles
13. Baltimore Orioles: Cory Jones, RHP, Cardinals
14. Cleveland Indians: Brian Moran, LHP, Mariners
15. Washington Nationals: Zack Cox, 3B, Marlins
16. San Francisco Giants: Wilson Santos, RHP, Padres
17. Los Angeles Angels: Blayne Weller, RHP, D-backs
18. Houston Astros: Octavio Acosta, RHP, Yankees
19. New York Yankees: Yefrey Ramirez, RHP, D-backs
20. Texas Rangers: Garrett Weber, IF, D-backs
21. Los Angeles Dodgers: Felipe Gonzalez, RHP, Marlins
22. Chicago Cubs: David Freitas, C, Orioles
23. Pittsburgh Pirates: Alfredo Reyes, SS, Yankees
24. St. Louis Cardinals: John Brebbia, RHP, D-backs
Round 2
1. Cincinnati Reds: Pin-Chieh Chen, 2B, Cubs
2. Milwaukee Brewers: Kender Villegas, RHP, Cardinals
3. Oakland Athletics: Alex Glenn, OF, D-backs
4. Miami Marlins: Maxx Tissenbaum, C, Rays
5. Detroit Tigers: Santiago Garrido, RHP, Orioles
6. Boston Red Sox: Anyelo Leclerc, RHP, Rangers
7. Arizona Diamondbacks: Robelys Reyes, SS, Cardinals
8. Tampa Bay Rays: Yoel Espinal, RHP, Yankees
9. Baltimore Orioles: Chipper Smith, LHP, Marlins
10. Los Angeles Angels: Ariel Ovando, LHP, Cubs
11. New York Yankees: Julian Aybar, RHP, Cubs
12. Los Angeles Dodgers: Micah Gibbs, C, Royals
13. Chicago Cubs: Mike O'Neill, OF, Cardinals
14. St. Louis Cardinals: Michael Heesch, LHP, Cubs
Round 3
1. Oakland Athletics: Viosergy Rosa, 1B, Marlins
2. Arizona Diamondbacks: Chad Oberacker, OF, A's
3. Tampa Bay Rays: Fernando Baez, FHP, Cardinals
4. Los Angeles Angels: DJ Johnson, RHP, Marlins
5. New York Yankees: Santiago Nessy, C, Royals
6. Los Angeles Dodgers: Logan Bawcom, RHP, Mariners
7. Chicago Cubs: Jesus Loya, OF, Red Sox
Round 4
1. Arizona Diamondbacks: Devin Harris, OF, Giants
2. Los Angeles Dodgers: Julio Morban, OF, Mariners
Round 5
1. Los Angeles Dodgers: Alexander Burgos, LHP, Marlins
Double-A phase
Round 1
1. Miami Marlins: Juan Caballero, RHP, Cardinals