ORLANDO, Fla. — The Rule 5 Draft is not happening till Wednesday, and whereas early buzz on the Winter Conferences is likely to be about issues like the place Kyle Tucker will signal, there are at all times early whispers about names who might go within the Rule 5 Draft.
Groups have not actually began digging into the method of deciding whether or not they may take somebody within the Main League part after which who they may choose, however because the baseball world descends on Orlando, there are some names who come to the foreground.
A refresher course: Gamers are Rule 5-eligible if they don’t seem to be on the 40-man roster however have been signed at 19 or older and have been in professional ball for 4 seasons or extra or have been signed at 18 or youthful and have been in professional ball for 5 seasons or extra.
Utilizing a mix of ideas from groups, brokers and MLB Pipeline employees, here is an early checklist of names to look at that can be up to date as we get nearer to the Draft. Rank of their present crew’s prime 30 is in parentheses when relevant.
Cameron Cauley, Rangers, SS/OF/2B (No. 17)
Cauley affords two issues that may typically assist an offensive participant stick within the Rule 5: pace and defensive versatility. He has a profession stolen-base success fee of almost 87 p.c and swiped 28 luggage whereas additionally hitting 15 homers final 12 months at Double-A. The 2021 third-round choose has additionally proven he can play three up-the-middle positions defensively.
Final 12 months, Liam Hicks was a catcher taken by the Marlins who caught. May or not it’s Cerda’s flip this go-round? Backstops do not typically make it, however Cerda did homer 18 instances in 93 Double-A video games final 12 months (albeit aided by taking part in dwelling video games in Amarillo), however there’s some right-handed juice, good stroll charges and stable protection behind the dish right here.
The son of an enormous leaguer (Matt) and nephew of one other (Jason), Childers was a non-drafted free-agent discover by the Brewers in 2023 who break up the 2025 season between the highest two ranges of the Miinors, saving 9 video games and placing out 9.5 per 9 (albeit with a 5.6 BB/9 fee). He held hitters to a .176 batting common with a fastball that touched 99 mph and 84-86 mph breaking stuff that may miss bats.
McGarry has proven off premium stuff since his Stanford days, however command has at all times held him again. His fastball sits 94 mph and touches the higher 90s with wonderful extension, and his slider elicited a 52 p.c miss fee, based on Synergy, in 2025. The Phillies moved him again right into a beginning position this 12 months so he might maintain engaged on all his stuff, and he took a step ahead command-wise with a career-low stroll fee … that was nonetheless 5.3 per 9.
Hayden Mullins, LHP, Purple Sox (No. 16)
A 12 months in the past, the White Sox nabbed Shane Smith with the No. 1 choose within the Rule 5, and he spent the 12 months of their rotation. Mullins is likely to be the most effective candidate to get the possibility to begin amongst these eligible. A 13.8 p.c stroll fee at Double-A would possibly deter some, however he additionally struck out 30 p.c of his batters confronted for the 12 months, getting swing-and-miss on his 91-94 mph fastball and low-80s two-plane slider.
Samy Natera Jr., LHP, Angels (No. 20)
It is a fastball-heavy method right here, with the southpaw throwing his driving heater 78.6 p.c of the time general. However that and his slider led to a 13.4 Okay/9 fee in 2025, although it got here together with a 6.6 BB/9 fee. Of specific curiosity for groups is likely to be his .160 BAA and .559 OPS-against vs. left-handed hitters final 12 months.
RJ Petit, RHP, Tigers (No. 30)
The 6-foot-8 Petit is coming off a 12 months that ended with a 2.44 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 79 Okay’s in 66 1/3 innings. He depends closely on his 83-85 mph slider with late break, getting swings-and-misses from right-handers and lefties alike. He brings a mid-90s fastball and upper-80s changeup to the mound as nicely.
Rodríguez is likely to be value a glance based mostly on his changeup alone. He sells his 86-88 mph cambio nicely with a novel supply, big extension and comparable arm pace and tunnel to his 95-97 mph sinker. That changeup had a 67.3 p.c whiff fee at Triple-A final 12 months, and his brief slider missed a ton of bats as nicely (to associate with a excessive stroll fee).
Alimber Santa, RHP, Astros (No. 13)
A 2025 Futures Recreation participant who moved from beginning to relieving in mid-2024, Santa completed the season with a miniscule 1.26 ERA and completed the 12 months at Triple-A at age 22. He is walked 6.0 per 9 in his profession however has struck out 11.3, and groups might have an curiosity in a full repertoire that encompasses a mid-90s heater, really feel for a changeup and a pair of breaking pitches.
This could be a take-and-stash situation. The 6-foot-9 right-hander had Tommy John surgical procedure this summer season, so you can let him rehab all 12 months earlier than having to resolve whether or not he is value preserving. His two-plane low-80s slider is his go-to, and he {couples} it with a sinker, a changeup and a cutter, throwing sufficient strikes to offer him a shot at beginning when he is wholesome.
A primary-rounder in 2022, Susac loved the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2025, with profession highs in a bunch of offensive classes from dwelling runs (18) to OPS (.832). His proximity to the large leagues and respectable catch-and-throw expertise might give him the possibility to be the uncommon backstop who sticks within the massive leagues.
Initially signed by the Orioles as a non-drafted free agent within the pandemic-shortened 2020 Draft 12 months, Watson reached Triple-A with Baltimore earlier than being dealt to the Giants in August 2024. The 6-foot-5 right-hander spent the 2025 season with Triple-A Sacramento, saving 9 video games and placing out 11.4 per 9 (vs. simply 2.8 BB/9 however an inflated 10.3 hits/9), using a fastball that may contact 97 mph and breaking stuff that elicited a 40 p.c miss fee within the PCL.
