Reds put Garrett, Waldrop on 40-man roster
Pitcher, outfielder now excluded from Rule 5 Draft eligibility
The Reds added a pair of Minor Leaguers to the 40-man roster Thursday, including top 20 prospect Amir Garrett, a move necessary to protect the left-hander from next month's Rule 5 Draft.
Outfielder Kyle Waldrop was also added to Cincinnati's roster, which is now full. Had Garrett and Waldrop not been added before midnight ET, they would have been exposed to other teams at the end of next month's Winter Meetings in San Diego.
Garrett, 22, signed for $1 million as a 22nd-round Draft pick in 2011 and ranks 18th on MLB.com's list of the top 20 Reds prospects. After splitting time between pitching in the Minor Leagues and playing college basketball, Garrett made a career-high 27 starts at Class A Dayton in 2014 and posted a 3.64 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 133 1/3 innings.
Waldrop, 22, was the Reds' 12th-round pick in 2010 and split 2014 between Class A Advanced Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola. He hit .315 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in 66 games at the higher level.