SEATTLE -- The deadline to protect eligible players from next month's Rule 5 draft passed on Monday with the Mariners not adding anyone in their system to the 40-man roster, leaving it at 36 for now.
Players not on the 40-man roster who have spent four seasons in pro ball and originally signed at age 19 or older, or players who signed at 18 or younger and have spent five seasons in pro ball, can be taken by other teams in the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 14, the final day of the Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
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None of the Mariners' premier prospects fit those categories, and the club chose not to protect any of the others who become eligible this year, which includes outfielder Ian Miller, who was last season's Mariners Minor League Hitter of the Year after splitting time between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma.
Miller is the Mariners' No. 22 ranked prospect, per MLBPipeline.com.
Four other prospects ranked among Seattle's top 30 by MLBPipeline.com will also be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, and all are outfielders. Luis Liberato (No. 12) finished last year at Class A Advanced Modesto, Anthony Jimenez (No. 13) was at Class A Clinton, Greifer Andrade (No. 14) played for Class A Short-Season Everett and Chuck Taylor (No. 28) was at Double-A.
Any player taken in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft must be kept on his new team's 25-man roster for the entire season or offered back to his former club, so it's rare for a lower-level Minor League player to be selected.
Among the other Mariners prospects eligible for the Rule 5 Draft are shortstop Zach Vincej, who was recently claimed from the Reds and then outrighted to Tacoma, and reliever Ryan Garton, who posted a 1.54 ERA in 13 outings for Seattle after being acquired in a trade from the Rays in August.
Also eligible are a handful of players who competed for Tacoma last season, including outfielders Andrew Aplin and Zach Shank, infielder Danny Muno and right-hander Pat Light.