MLB Pipeline provides our organizational Top 30 prospect rankings full refreshes twice per calendar yr (as soon as in spring, as soon as in-season) and gives different reside updates as graduations and different transactions necessitate them. In the latter class, two dates particularly are our busiest for Top 30 updates: the Trade Deadline and the Rule 5 Draft.
The latter arrived Wednesday as a part of the Winter Meetings in Dallas. MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo recapped the Rule 5 outcomes from the heaviest-volume draft in a while, that includes 83 whole picks, together with 15 throughout the Major League part.
To rapidly summarize, Rule 5-eligible gamers who have been chosen within the MLB portion should stick within the Majors for the complete 2025 season or else be supplied again to their unique organizations.
Seven of the 15 picks from the MLB part entered new Top 30s, and 4 left previous ones, requiring additional shuffling of their farm techniques’ rankings. Here’s a abstract of the Top 30 motion from a busy Wednesday within the land of prospects.
Blue Jays
Added: Angel Bastardo, RHP (No. 29)
The Rule 5 Draft is often carried out with the quick time period in thoughts due to how gamers want to stay on the MLB roster, however there are occasions when golf equipment can take long-term views within the course of as Toronto did right here. Bastardo underwent Tommy John surgical procedure final summer time and can doubtless spend a lot of 2025 recovering and rehabbing from that process. Toronto will get to supervise that course of because it determines Bastardo’s future with the membership, and the righty have to be on the lively roster for 90 days in an effort to fulfill his Rule 5 duties (a stipulation that might carry into 2026 if wanted). Bastardo confirmed a capability to the touch 97 mph along with his fastball earlier than getting harm, and his above-average changeup intrigues the Jays. He additionally sports activities two common breaking balls that give him an opportunity to begin when he is recovered.
Orioles
Lost: Juan Nuñez, RHP (No. 8)
Top 30 alternative: Luis Almeyda, SS/3B (No. 30)
Known for his or her hitting prospects, the Orioles misplaced the second highest-ranked pitching expertise of their system when Nuñez was taken by the Padres. Nuñez, 24, jumped up the Baltimore record on the energy of his stuff — particularly a mid-90s fastball, two breaking pitches that flash plus and a strong changeup — however he was left unprotected after a shoulder harm restricted him to 29⅓ innings in 2024. He’s nonetheless but to pitch above High-A and faces an uphill battle to stay on a contending San Diego membership. In Nuñez’s stead, Almeyda — a $2.3 million worldwide signee in 2023 — slots in as one other high quality infield prospect on the O’s record.
Tigers
Lost: Gage Workman, 3B/SS (No. 29)
Top 30 alternative: Sawyer Gipson-Long, RHP (No. 30)
A 2020 fourth-rounder out of Arizona State, Workman fell off earlier Detroit Top 30s because of critical strikeout issues. He gave up switch-hitting to bat solely from the left facet and his Ok fee promptly decreased to a way more manageable 27.5 p.c at Double-A in 2024. The enchancment could have gotten him again on our ranked record nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to get him on Detroit’s 40-man. Now he’ll get an opportunity to crack the Cubs’ infield as an alternative. Gipson-Long didn’t pitch in 2024 after present process Tommy John and hip surgical procedures, however he’s nonetheless thought of a part of the Tigers’ organizational beginning depth heading into 2025.
Twins
Added: Eiberson Castellano, RHP (No. 13)
The 23-year-old right-hander jumps up the Minnesota board on the energy of a strong three-pitch combine, highlighted by a mid-90s fastball and an above-average upper-80s changeup. His low-80s curveball additionally has its followers amongst scouts. Castellano used that repertoire to construct a breakout 2024 season wherein he posted a 3.99 ERA with 136 strikeouts and 29 walks over a career-high 103⅔ innings between High-A and Double-A. While he markedly improved his stroll fee, he nonetheless has his greatest likelihood at understanding of the Minnesota bullpen to start his MLB journey with sights set on the rotation down the road.
Angels
Added: Garrett McDaniels, LHP (No. 29)
Los Angeles basic supervisor Perry Minasian talked about how troublesome it may be to seek out high quality left-handed reduction assist, and that was an enormous motivation within the Halos’ choice to take McDaniels from the Dodgers. The 24-year-old southpaw was lastly absolutely wholesome in 2024 and completed with a 3.19 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings throughout three ranges, topping out at Double-A. His fastball touches 97 mph and attracts plus grades, whereas his 87-89 mph slider might help miss bats too. That’s sufficient for him to crack the Halos’ shallow Top 30.
Athletics
Lost: Cooper Bowman, 2B/OF (No. 20)
Top 30 alternative: Logan Davidson, 3B/SS/OF (No. 30)
Bowman felt tailored to be a Rule 5 choose as a plus-plus runner with a flexible defensive historical past and upper-level expertise, however the A’s determined to threat dropping him by leaving him off the 40-man, permitting the Reds to swoop in. Bowman is changed by certainly one of his Triple-A Las Vegas teammates in Davidson, who has equally seen time on each the grime and grass. The 2019 first-rounder hit a career-high 15 homers in 2024, spending it largely within the Pacific Coast League, and his above-average exit velocities proved the slugging soar was actual and never desert-manufactured. He’ll nonetheless have to enhance his contact fee to stay within the Majors in 2025.
Mets
Lost: Mike Vasil, RHP (No. 18)
Top 30 alternative: Eli Serrano III, OF (No. 30)
Vasil was set to fall down the Mets’ Top 30 on this offseason’s replace after a tough Triple-A season wherein he posted a 6.04 ERA and 18 p.c Ok fee in 134 innings. He was first chosen by the Phillies earlier than being traded to the Rays for money issues. Tampa Bay will hope to get him again to 2023 kind, maybe beginning by eliminating a four-seam fastball that Triple-A hitters slugged .753 towards final yr. Serrano hops into New York’s Top 30 months after being chosen within the fourth spherical within the 2024 Draft. The North Carolina State product is a bat-first outfielder with easy mechanics from the left facet, and given his 6-foot-5 dimension, there could possibly be room for extra energy in there too.
Nationals
Added: Evan Reifert, RHP (No. 26)
Reifert’s 82-85 mph slider may be the most effective pitch on this Rule 5 Draft class. The breaking ball generated a 70 p.c whiff fee at Double-A Montgomery in ’24, due to spectacular drop and troublesome tunneling out of the right-hander’s low three-quarters supply. It’s a pitch Washington ought to have him lean on closely towards each righties and lefties, although his 94-97 mph fastball is strong too. Reifert’s earlier battles with command doubtless stored him off Tampa Bay’s 40-man, however there’s high-leverage reduction upside right here for the Nats in the event that they might help Reifert maintain these up to now.
Brewers
Added: Connor Thomas, LHP (No. 30)
The Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Year in 2022, Thomas featured at St. Louis’ Triple-A affiliate in 4 consecutive seasons however by no means broke by to the Majors, even when he was on the 40-man for a spell. He moved to Memphis’ bullpen in ’24 and posted a 2.89 ERA in 90 1/3 innings, serving to his Rule 5 case. The 5-foot-11 southpaw is a throwback with subpar velocity on his 88-91 mph sinker however will get a ton of ground-ball contact. His 81-83 mph sweeping slider is a standout pitch, whereas his upper-80s cutter affords a sharper choice. His potential to maintain the ball on the grime could possibly be an ideal match for a Brewers membership that employs stellar defenders Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz on the infield.
Cubs
Added: Gage Workman, 3B/SS (No. 29)
As talked about above, it took Workman’s important offensive turnaround to get again on Detroit’s Top 30, and he’ll want to hold that to Chicago if he’s going to stay in Wrigleyville. That stated, the Cubs received’t want him to be an on a regular basis participant, and Workman brings different expertise that ought to strengthen his case, particularly above-average pace and a plus glove. His 55-grade arm energy helped him get time at third base in Double-A final yr, however he’s nonetheless athletic sufficient to deal with shortstop when wanted. There’s an honest flooring right here, so long as Workman doesn’t rack up a strikeout fee above 35 p.c in his MLB seems.
Reds
Added: Cooper Bowman, 2B/OF (No. 26)
Jonathan India’s commerce to the Royals this offseason allowed Matt McLain to slip into the second-base position full time and opened a spot for a bench infielder on Cincinnati’s roster. Enter Bowman, who stole 43 luggage final yr between Double-A and Triple-A. That identical plus-plus pace helped him play a superb quantity of middle subject on the Minors’ prime stage in ’24 too. That versatility needs to be an asset for his MLB possibilities. He’ll want to chop down on chasing and present higher energy after struggling in each areas in Triple-A.
Padres
Added: Juan Nuñez, RHP (No. 11)
A.J. Preller is understood for taking huge swings in all sorts of transactions, and this may be one other. On one hand, Nuñez has the deepened arsenal and relative success to mission as a possible backend starter within the Majors. Those varieties are exhausting to seek out within the Rule 5 Draft. On the opposite, he’s a 24-year-old with no upper-level expertise and a current shoulder harm. Those varieties usually don’t stick in The Show, particularly for golf equipment with World Series aspirations. Nonetheless, Padres brass are keen to provide Nuñez at the least a glance in spring, and given how shallow their system is due to different aggressive trades, the previous Oriole slides right into a outstanding spot on San Diego’s Top 30.
