Decision time: Which prospects got 40-man spots?

November 21st, 2018

Decision time has come for all 30 Major League organizations in terms of what to do with their 40-man rosters. Space was limited, so not all prospects were able to find a home on a roster when the deadline passed on Tuesday night.
Those Minor Leaguers who were not put on a 40-man roster are now eligible to be taken by the other 29 teams in the Rule 5 Draft, which will take place at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, on Thursday, Dec. 13.
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 $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. 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 $50,000.
For this year, that means an international or high school Draft pick signed in 2014 -- assuming he was 18 or younger as of June 5 of that year -- has to be protected. A college player taken in the 2015 Draft is in the same position.
There were just eight players on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list who need to be protected or become exposed to the Rule 5 Draft. All of them were added to their organization's respective rosters.
*16. Mitch Keller, RHP, PIT
25. Dylan Cease, RHP, CWS
*33. Jesus Sanchez, OF, TB
*35. Chris Paddack,RHP, SD
*39. Keibert Ruiz, C, LAD
*64. Adonis Medina, RHP, PHI
*67. Franklin Perez, RHP, DET
*69. Michael Chavis, 3B, BOS
Indicates that a player has been added to his team's 40-man roster.
That's nothing new, as Top 100 prospects tend to get protected. Over the past four seasons (2017: 8; 2016: 12; 2015: 11), all 39 Top 100 prospects got roster spots when eligible.
There were obviously many more Minor Leaguers under consideration. There were 149 prospects on organizational Top 30 lists hoping to get added to a 40-man roster, and a total of 71 (47.6 percent) were added to 40-man rosters.
That's down from last year, when there were 153, 85 of whom (55.6%) were protected. In 2016, there were 144 total, and 58% of them (84) were protected. In 2015, 75 of 156 (48%) Top 30 prospects landed on rosters.
Here's a list of all 30 teams' Top 30 prospects who needed to be protected to avoid being exposed to the Rule 5 Draft, along with non-Top 30 prospects who were given coveted roster spots:
Arizona Diamondbacks (5)
7. Marcus Wilson, OF
*11. Taylor Clarke, RHP
*20. Kevin Cron, 1B
22. Alex Young, LHP
23. , LHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Joel Payamps, RHP
Bo Takahashi, RHP
Emilio Vargas, RHP
Atlanta Braves (6)
*20. Huascar Ynoa, RHP
*21. Patrick Weigel, RHP
22. , OF
*27. , C
28. Josh Graham, RHP
*29. Jacob Webb, RHP
More »
Baltimore Orioles (2)
*6. , RHP
29. Luis Gonzalez, LHP
Boston Red Sox (8)
*1. Michael Chavis, SS
*7. Darwinzon Hernandez, LHP
10. Josh Ockimey, 1B
*15. Travis Lakins, RHP
21. Jhonathan Diaz, LHP
23. Roldani Baldwin, C
27. Roniel Raudes, RHP
*30. Denyi Reyes, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
LHP Josh Taylor
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Chicago Cubs (4)
*8. Justin Steele, LHP
17. Trevor Clifton, RHP
20. Jhonny Pereda, C
26. Erling Moreno, RHP
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Chicago White Sox (5)
*3. Dylan Cease, RHP
*19. Kodi Medeiros, LHP
*20. Jordan Stephens, RHP
*22. Seby Zavala, C
26. Spencer Adams, RHP
More »
Cincinnati Reds (2)
*13. Jimmy Herget, RHP
22. Michael Beltre, OF
More »
Cleveland Indians (3)
*7. Bobby Bradley, 1B
*8. Sam Hentges, LHP
20. Oscar Gonzalez, OF
Non-Top 30 Prospects added:
Jean Carlos Mejia, RHP
Tyler Krieger, SS
, RHP
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Colorado Rockies (7)
*9. Sam Hilliard, OF
*10. Ryan Castellani, RHP
*17. Justin Lawrence, RHP
19. Breiling Eusebio, LHP
23. Roberto Ramos, 1B
25. Brian Mundell, 1B
27. Dom Nunez, C
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Josh Fuentes, 3B
More »
Detroit Tigers (4)
*3. Franklin Perez, RHP
19. Jose Azocar, OF
24. Tyler Alexander, LHP
29. Derek Hill, CF
More »
Houston Astros (4)
*12. Rogelio Armenteros, RHP
*15. Garrett Stubbs, C
17. Riley Ferrell, RHP
24. Jonathan Arauz, SS
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Bryan Abreu, RHP
More »
Kansas City Royals (6)
*11. Josh Staumont, RHP
23. Elvis Luciano, RHP
*26. Scott Blewett, RHP
28. D.J. Burt, SS
29. Foster Griffin, LHP
30. Ofreidy Gomez, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Arnaldo Hernandez, RHP
More »
Los Angeles Angels (5)
*8. Jose Suarez, LHP
*10. Luis Rengifo, IF
15. Leonardo Rivas, SS
18. Luis Pena, RHP
28. Joe Gatto, RHP
Non-Top 30 Prospects added:
Luis Madero, RHP
More »
Los Angeles Dodgers (7)
*2. Keibert Ruiz, C
*10. Yadier Alvarez, RHP
*13. Edwin Rios, 1B
19. Drew Jackson, SS
*21. Matt Beaty, 1B/3B
24. Cristian Santana, SS
29. Andrew Sopko, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Josh Sborz, RHP
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Miami Marlins (7)
*2. , CF
*6. Jorge Guzman, RHP
*9. , SS
*17. , RHP
18. Christopher Torres, SS
26. Brayan Hernandez, CF
30. McKenzie Mills, LHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
RHP Jordan Holloway
RHP Kyle Keller
LHP Jose Quijada
More »
Milwaukee Brewers (5)
10. Jake Gatewood, 1B
*13. Trey Supak, RHP
*15. Troy Stokes Jr., CF
17. Cody Ponce, RHP
28. Carlos Herrera, RHP
More »
Minnesota Twins (5)
*4. Nick Gordon, SS
*13. LaMonte Wade, OF
*15. Luis Arraez, 2B
16. Lewin Diaz, RF
22. Tyler Jay, LHP
More »
New York Mets (4)
19. Luis Carpio, SS
21. David Thompson, 3B
25. Ali Sanchez, C
27. Patrick Mazeika, C
New York Yankees (1)
27. Dermis Garcia, 1B/3B
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Joe Harvey, RHP
Oakland A's (5)
*9. , RHP
12. Richie Martin, SS
*15. , RHP
27. James Naile, RHP
*30. Skye Bolt, CF
Non-Top 30 Prospects added:
Luis Barrera, OF
Tanner Anderson, RHP
More »
Philadelphia Phillies (5)
*3. Adonis Medina, RHP
*11. Arquimedes Gamboa, SS
12. Daniel Brito, SS
16. Jose Gomez, SS
27. , RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
RHP Edgar Garcia
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Pittsburgh Pirates (6)
*1. Mitch Keller, RHP
*5. Cole Tucker, SS
*13. , CF
19. Gage Hinsz, RHP
24. Brandon Waddell, LHP
28. Domingo Robles, LHP
Non-Top 30 Prospects added:
J.T. Brubaker, RHP
More »
San Diego Padres (5)
*5. Chris Paddack, RHP
*12. Anderson Espinoza, RHP
*25. Austin Allen, C
*28. Edward Olivares, OF
*29. Pedro Avila, RHP
Non-Top 30 Prospects added:
Ty France, 3B
Gerardo Reyes, RHP
Jason Vosler, SS
More »
San Francisco Giants (7)
8. Sandro Fabian, OF
*11. Logan Webb, RHP
18. Juan De Paula, RHP
*19. Melvin Adon, RHP
23. Jordan Johnson, RHP
28. C.J. Hinojosa, SS/2B
*30. Sam Coonrod, RHP
More »
Seattle Mariners (9)
*6. Braden Bishop, OF
*9. Erik Swanson, RHP
17. Art Warren, RHP
21. , RHP
23. Ian Miller, OF
26. Anthony Jimenez, OF
27. Luis Liberato, OF
29. Ronald Rosario, OF
30. Anthony Misiewicz, LHP
More »
St. Louis Cardinals (6)
*4. Ryan Helsley, RHP
11. , 2B
*13. Genesis Cabrera, LHP
14. Junior Fernandez, RHP
*20. Ramon Urias, INF
23. Wadye Ynfante, OF
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Lane Thomas, OF
More »
Tampa Bay Rays (3)
*4. Jesus Sanchez
*17. Joe McCarthy, OF/1B
*29. Ian Gibaut, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Kyle Bird, LHP
Brock Burke, LHP
More »
Texas Rangers (4)
*6. Taylor Hearn, LHP
17. Pedro Gonzalez, OF
*22. Scott Heineman, OF
30. Edgar Arredondo, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Wei-Chieh Huang, RHP
More »
Toronto Blue Jays (4)
*11. Hector Perez, RHP
*22. Trent Thornton, RHP
25. Forrest Wall, OF
28. Jordan Romano, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Yennsy Diaz, RHP
Patrick Murphy, RHP
Jacob Waguespack, RHP
More »
Washington Nationals (5)
13. Telmito Agustin, OF
*17. James Bourque, RHP
24. Tomas Alastre, RHP
25. , 1B/OF
29. Drew Ward, 3B/1B
More »