On Wednesday, 16 prospects were picked in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft, and each will be given an opportunity to make the big league club next season.
There is a great chance the next superstar is in this group below.
1. Philadelphia Phillies: Tyler Goeddel, OF, Rays
Goeddel, 22, played with the Rays Double-A affiliate in 2015, and in 123 games, he batted .279, with 12 home runs and 72 RBI’s. he is also the brother of Mets relief pitcher Erik who made his major league debut in 2014. If all goes well for Tyler, he could be facing big brother soon in the majors. The former Rays prospect is now ranked #20 on the Phillies Top Prospect list.
2. Cincinnati Reds: Jake Cave, OF, Yankees
Cave, 23, played most of last season in Double-A before moving on to play in seven games in Triple-A and combined he batted .278, with a 147 hits, 25 doubles, two home runs and 39 RBI’s in 132 games. The outfielder, who is now ranked #15 on the Reds Top Prospect List, doesn’t posses much power, but he should hit for average and based on scouting reports, he draws praise for his constant hustle and likes to spray the ball into the outfield gaps, which should land him as a viable utility player.
3. Atlanta Braves: Evan Rutckjy, LHP, Yankees
Rutckjy, 23, has been with the Yankees organization since the 2010 season when he was drafted in the 16th round of the June Amateur draft out of High School. The Canadian native, initially started as a starter, but switched to the bullpen full-time in 2014, while slowly moving through the Yankees system. In 2015, he shared time between High A ball and Double-A and combined he was 3-2, with a 2.63 ERA, with 82 strikeouts in 61.2 innings of relief.
4. Colorado Rockies: Luis Perdomo, RHP, Cardinals
Perdomo, 22, was traded to the Padres by the Rockies for a player to be named later, after he was selected in Thursday’s draft. The righty has been with the Cardinals system since the 2011 season. He has moved through the organization as a starter and in 2015 he split time between Class-A (Full) and Class-A (Adv) and in 23 games combined he was 6-12, with a 4.83 ERA, with 118 strikeouts in 126.2 innings.
5. Milwaukee Brewers: Colin Walsh, 2B, A’s
Walsh, 26, started his professional career with the Cardinals after being drafted in the 13th round of the 2010 June amateur draft. On April 8, 2014, he was signed by Oakland as a Minor League free agent. After splitting time between Class-A (Adv), Double-A and Triple-A, batting a combined .290, with four home runs and 32 RBI’s, he played in Double-A for the entire 2015 season batting .302, with 13 home runs and 49 RBI’s. The second baseman has some pop in his bat, hitting a career high 16 home runs in Class-A (Adv) in 2012.
6. Oakland Athletics: Jabari Blash, IF, Mariners
Blash, 26, was selected by the A’s, but will be traded to the Padres as the player to be named in a deal to acquire Yonder Alonso and Marc Rzepczynski. The Virgin Islands native has been in the Mariners organization since 2010 and in six seasons he has a .256 career batting average, with 105 doubles, 16 Triples, 109 home runs and 340 RBI’s. In 2015, he split time between Double-A and Triple-A and combined he batted .271, with 32 home runs, 81 RBI’s in 116 games.
7. San Diego Padres: Josh Martin, RHP, Indians
Martin, 25, was taken by the Indians in the 10th round of 2012 June Amateur draft. In four seasons in the minors, he is 20-14, with a 3.31 ERA. In 2015, he played in Double-A and was 8-1, with a 2.27 ERA, with 80 strikeouts in 67.1 innings out of the pen.
8. Baltimore Orioles: Joey Rickard, OF, Rays
Rickard, 24, was taken by the Rays in the 9th round of the 2012 MLB June draft and in four minor league seasons, he has a .283 batting average, with 13 home runs, and 149 RBI’s. In 2015, he split time between Class-A (Adv), Double-A and Triple-A and combined he batted .321, with 28 doubles, two home runs, 55 RBI’s, and 23 stolen bases, in 396 at bats.
9. Los Angeles Angels: Deolis Guerra, RHP, Pirates
Guerra, 26, has been in the minor since 2006 when he signed as an amateur free agent with the Mets. In 10 pro seasons, he is 50-61, with a 4.68 ERA, and 657 strike outs in 842.2 innings. In 2015 he appeared in 25 games in relief with the Pirates Triple-A affiliate, finishing 2-1, with a 1.47 ERA, four saves, and 37 strike outs in 36.2 innings. He made his major league debut with Pittsburgh on June 27th and in 10 relief appearances, he was 2-0, with a 6.48 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 16.2 innings.
10. Toronto Blue Jays: Joe Biagini, RHP, Giants
Biagini, 25, was drafted by the Giants in the 26th round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur draft. In four minor league seasons, the California native is 29-30 as a starter, with a 4.06 ERA, and 365 strikeouts in 448 innings. In 2015, he started 22 games in Double-A and was 10-7, with a 2.42 ERA, with 84 strikeouts in 130.1 innings.
11. St. Louis Cardinals: Matthew Bowman, RHP, Mets
Bowman, 24, was drafted by the Mets in the 13th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur draft. In four minor league seasons, the Cardinals #22 prospect is 29-30, with a 3.87 ERA, and 347 strikeouts in 430.2 innings. In 2015, he started 26 games in Triple-A, and posted a 7-16 record, with a 3.87 ERA, and 77 strikeouts in 140 innings.
Round 2
12. Philadelphia Phillies: Daniel Stumpf, LHP, Royals
Stumpf, 24, was a 9th round pick of the Royals in the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft and in four minor league seasons, he is 20-23, with a 3.21 ERA, and 306 strikeouts in 311.1 innings. In 2013, the Texas native started 25 games in Class-A (Full) and finished 10-10, with a 3.07 ERA. Since he has primarily been a relief pitcher and in 2015, he pitched in Double-A, posting a 5-1 record, with a 3.95 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 70.2 innings.
13. Cincinnati Reds: Chris O’Grady, LHP, Angels
O’Grady, 25, a New York native, was taken in the 10th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur draft. In four minor league seasons, O’Grady is 10-13, with a 3.21 ERA and 198 strikeouts in 210.1 innings. In 2015 he pitched in Double-A and Triple-A and combined he was 0-5, with a .359 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 57.2 innings.
14. Milwaukee Brewers: Zach Jones, RHP, Twins
Jones, 25, was chosen in the 4th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur draft by the Twins. The relief pitcher has appeared in 113 minor league games out of the pen and is 9-7, with a 2.83 ERA and 33 saves in that span. In 2015, Jones started in High A ball then was promoted to Double A and combined he was 5-4, with a 4.53 ERA and 12 saves.
15. San Diego Padres: Blake Smith, RHP, White Sox
Smith, 28, is the oldest taken in the MLB Phase of the Rule 5 Draft, and in his seven years in the minors, the California native is primarily a pitcher that also played the outfield and has a career .269 batting average, with 59 home runs and 256 RBI’s. On the mound, Smith was a combined 2-5, between Double A and Triple A, with a 2.89 ERA in 44 relief appearances.
16. Los Angeles Angels: Ji-Man Choi, 1B, Orioles
Choi, 24, has a .304 career batting average in five minor league seasons, with 35 home runs and 211 RBI’s. The Korean native was signed by the Orioles back in November to a minor league with an invitation to Spring Training after playing in the Mariners farm system. But the Orioles did not protect Choi and the Angels took him in the draft. Reports are that the Angels expect Choi to make big league squad.
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