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Top 40 x 30: Clubs make roster decisions on prospects

Before making it to the big leagues, the obvious ultimate goal for any prospect, there is another milestone each hopes to reach: being added to his organization's 40-man roster.

For many, that decision was made on Thursday. All 30 teams had to decide which players deserved to be added to their 40-man rosters by 11:59 p.m. ET. Those eligible and left unprotected will be exposed to selection in December's Rule 5 Draft.

Players first signed at age 18 must be added to 40-man rosters within five seasons or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 process. Players signed at 19 years or older have to be protected within four seasons. Clubs pay $50,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft, slated to take place on Dec. 11. If that player doesn't stay on the 25-man roster for the full season, he must be offered back to his former team for $25,000.

In other words, an international player or high school draftee signed in 2010, assuming he was 18 or younger as of June 5 of that year, must be protected. A college player taken in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft is in the same boat. There were 12 players on MLB.com's Top 100 prospects list who needed to be protected or become exposed to the Rule 5, led by Twins third baseman Miguel Sano and Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard, both of whom are in the top 10. By the deadline all 12 had been added to their respective organization's 40-man roster:

Rank. Name, Organization
7. Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins
10. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Mets
24. Blake Swihart, C, Red Sox
27. Alex Meyer, RHP, Twins
28. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pirates
30. Jorge Alfaro, C, Rangers
52. Jose Peraza, 2B/SS, Braves
53. C.J. Edwards, RHP, Cubs
56. A.J. Cole, RHP, Nationals
58. Nick Kingham, RHP, Pirates
70. Luke Jackson, RHP, Rangers
92. Michael Feliz, RHP, Astros

Those weren't the only players facing decisions. A total of 69 additional prospects who are on organizational Top 20 lists, but not on the Top 100, were also under consideration for a roster spot. Here's a list of all 30 teams' Top 20 prospects who needed to be protected to avoid being exposed to the Rule 5 Draft. Those in bold were added to their teams' 40-man roster:

Arizona (2): No. 6 Brandon Drury , 3B; No. 18 Zach Borenstein, OF

Atlanta (7): No. 1 Jose Peraza, 2B/SS; No. 7 Tyrell Jenkins , RHP; No. 8 Mauricio Cabrera , RHP; No. 11 Cody Martin, RHP; No. 12 Kyle Kubitza , 3B; No. 13 J.R. Graham, RHP; No. 18 Johan Camargo, SS

Baltimore (4): No. 7 Mike Wright , RHP; No. 12 Parker Bridwell, RHP; No. 15 Tyler Wilson , RHP

Boston (4): No. 2 Blake Swihart, C; No. 7 Eduardo Rodriguez , LHP; No. 13 Sean Coyle , 2B; No. 18 Travis Shaw , 1B

Cincinnati (3): No. 18 Amir Garrett , LHP; No. 19 Chad Rogers, RHP; No. 20 Junior Arias, OF

Chicago Cubs (1): No. 5 C.J. Edwards, RHP

Chicago White Sox (2): No. 3 Francellis Montas, RHP; No. 19 Braulio Ortiz, RHP

Cleveland (3): No. 11 Cody Anderson , RHP; No. 13 Giovanny Urshela , 3B; No. 18 Tony Wolters , C

Colorado (2): No. 12 Tyler Anderson , LHP; No. 19 Daniel Winkler, RHP

Detroit (2): No. 17 Angel Nesbitt , RHP; No. 18 Endrys Briceno, RHP

Houston (3): No. 7 Michael Feliz, RHP; No. 8 Vincent Velasquez , RHP; No. 12 Delino DeShields, OF

Kansas City (3): No. 7 Jorge Bonifacio , OF; No. 12 Orlando Calixte , SS; No. 18 Ramon Torres, SS

Los Angeles Angels (1): No. 5 Kaleb Cowart, 3B

Los Angeles Dodgers (3): No. 6 Zach Lee , RHP; No. 8 Chris Reed, LHP; No. 9 Scott Schebler , OF

Miami (6): No. 4 Justin Nicolino , LHP; No. 8 Adam Conley , LHP; No. 11 Domingo German , RHP; No. 12 Jarlin Garcia, LHP; No. 16 Austin Barnes, 2B/C; No. 17 Austin Brice, RHP

Milwaukee (3): No. 10 Taylor Jungmann , RHP; No. 17 David Goforth , RHP; No. 20 Drew Gagnon, RHP

Minnesota (3): No. 2 Miguel Sano, 3B; No. 4 Alex Meyer, RHP; No. 10 Eddie Rosario , 2B/OF

New York Mets (6): No. 1 Noah Syndergaard, RHP; No. 12 Gabriel Ynoa , RHP; No. 14 Cory Mazzoni , RHP; No. 15 Jack Leathersich, LHP; No. 19 Logan Verrett, RHP

New York Yankees (2): No. 15 Tyler Austin, OF; No. 17 Mason Williams , OF

Oakland (2): No. 3 Renato Nunez , 3B; No. 18 Aaron Shipman, OF

Philadelphia (1): No. 4 Jesse Biddle , LHP

Pittsburgh (3): No. 2 Jameson Taillon, RHP; No. 5 Nick Kingham, RHP; No. 13 Willy Garcia , OF

St. Louis (1): No. 19 Breyvic Valera, 2B

San Diego (3): No. 11 Taylor Lindsey, 2B; No. 19 Tayron Guerrero , RHP; No. 20 Gabriel Quintana, 3B

San Francisco (1): No. 18 Joan Gregorio , RHP

Seattle (3): No. 8 Ketel Marte , SS; No. 19 John Hicks , C

Tampa Bay (3): No. 8 Ryan Brett , 2B; No. 13 Mikie Mahtook , OF; No. 16 Justin O'Conner , C

Texas (2): No. 2 Jorge Alfaro, C; No. 3 Luke Jackson, RHP

Toronto (1): No. 18 John Stilson, RHP

Washington (3): No. 2 A.J. Cole, RHP; No. 6 Matt Skole, 1B; No. 7 Brian Goodwin , OF; No. 14 Drew Vettleson, OF; No. 19 Wilmer Difo , SS

Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLBPipeline.com and writes a blog, B3. Follow @JonathanMayoB3 on Twitter.