Rule five in baseball refers to the Rule 5 Draft, which is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 Draft allows teams to select certain non-40-man roster minor league players from other teams.
What is the purpose of the Rule 5 Draft?
The purpose of the Rule 5 Draft is to prevent teams from stockpiling too many talented young players in their minor league systems. By forcing teams to make players available through the draft if they are not on the 40-man roster after a certain number of years, it gives other teams a chance to acquire these promising players.
Specifically, players are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft if they are not on their team’s 40-man roster four or five years after they were signed, depending on their age when signed. Teams can then select eligible players and add them to their 40-man roster. Otherwise, they must return the player to their original team.
This system aims to strike a balance between allowing teams to develop prospects over several years versus enabling other teams to have a chance to acquire talent that is stuck in the minors. The Rule 5 Draft prevents top prospects from being buried on minor league depth charts for too long.
When did the Rule 5 Draft begin?
Major League Baseball instituted the Rule 5 Draft in 1959 to prevent teams from hoarding minor league talent. The draft has been held every year since then at the Winter Meetings in December.
The rules for player eligibility have evolved over the decades. In 1989, MLB changed the eligibility to four years after signing for players who were 19 or older when signed. For players 18 or younger, it remained three years. In 2020, MLB and the players union agreed to change eligibility to five years for all players signed at age 18 or older.
Each year, hundreds of players are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft. However, most go unpicked because teams must keep the selected player on their active MLB roster for a full season or else offer them back to their original team.
How does the Rule 5 Draft work?
The Rule 5 Draft has several components that regulate which players are eligible and how teams can acquire or lose players:
- Players are eligible if they are not on their organization’s 40-man roster four or five years after they were signed, depending on age when signed.
- Teams pick in reverse order of their win-loss record from the previous season.
- Teams must pay $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the draft.
- Selected players must stay on the drafting team’s active MLB roster for the full season or else be offered back to their original team for $50,000.
- Teams can also select players in the Minor League phase of the draft, paying $24,000 per player.
By following these rules, the draft provides opportunities for lesser teams to add talent from stacked farm systems while requiring teams to earmark a full-time roster spot to keep a chosen player.
What types of players are typically selected?
Since drafting teams must keep chosen players on their active roster all season, the players selected in the Rule 5 Draft tend to have these traits:
- MLB-ready skills that allow them to contribute right away
- Versatility to play multiple positions or roles
- Upside and long-term potential if they stick on the roster
- Success at upper levels of the minors but stuck behind depth chart
Position players such as versatile infielders, speedy outfielders, and catchers are frequently selected. For pitchers, those with flexibility to pitch as starters or relievers are prime targets.
Teams drafting early often choose the most MLB-ready prospects. Contending teams drafting late look for varied skillsets and high upside.
What happens if a team can’t keep the player all season?
If the drafting team cannot keep the chosen player on their active 25-man roster for the entire season, that player must be offered back to their original team.
This typically occurs due to injury or subpar performance. The player is designated for assignment and their original team can reacquire them for $50,000, half the Rule 5 Draft pick cost. The player is then optioned to the minors by their original team.
Sometimes players do not stick on the roster all season simply because of a numbers game and roster crunches. This leads to some players bouncing between multiple organizations through this process.
Notable Rule 5 Draft selections
Here are some of the most successful Rule 5 Draft picks in MLB history:
| Player | Draft Year | Drafted By | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberto Clemente | 1954 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Hall of Famer who spent entire career with Pirates |
| George Bell | 1980 | Toronto Blue Jays | 1987 AL MVP |
| Dan Uggla | 2005 | Florida Marlins | 3x All-Star second baseman |
| Josh Hamilton | 2006 | Chicago Cubs | Traded after draft, 2010 AL MVP |
| Odubel Herrera | 2014 | Philadelphia Phillies | 2016 All-Star center fielder |
As those selections demonstrate, teams can find long-term standouts, All-Stars, and even Hall of Famers through the Rule 5 Draft if they identify the right players.
Notable Rule 5 Draft miss
Johan Santana
One of the most famous misses in Rule 5 Draft history is pitcher Johan Santana. The Houston Astros left Santana unprotected in the 1999 Rule 5 Draft despite his status as a top prospect.
The Florida Marlins selected Santana and then traded him to the Minnesota Twins. Santana blossomed into a two-time Cy Young Award winner and four-time All-Star for the Twins. Had the Astros added Santana to their 40-man roster, he likely would have been an ace in Houston instead.
What are the implications of the Rule 5 Draft?
The Rule 5 Draft provides several important implications and strategic considerations for MLB teams:
- Teams must carefully manage their 40-man roster each offseason leading up to the draft.
- Clubs may trade eligible players to other teams rather than risk losing them for nothing.
- Weaker teams get chances to pilfer talent from stacked farm systems.
- Contenders can take chances on high-upside players with roster exemptions.
- Fringe top prospects may get opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t receive.
- Teams risk losing players if they underestimate readiness and upside.
In summary, the Rule 5 Draft forces teams to make challenging personnel decisions. It enables talent redistribution around MLB. For players, it opens opportunities that may jumpstart careers.
Could the Rule 5 Draft be changed in the future?
While the Rule 5 Draft has remained largely unchanged over the decades, there are some ways it could potentially be altered in future negotiations between MLB and the players union:
- The active roster requirement period could be reduced from a full season.
- The draft pick cost could be lowered to enable more selections.
- The eligibility timeframe could be shortened to allow earlier drafting.
- A regular MLB draft “snake” format could be adopted.
- Trading of picks could be instituted like in other player drafts.
However, the Rule 5 Draft has stuck around so long largely because it serves its purpose well. Major changes seem unlikely unless unforeseen developments occur in the labor landscape.
Key facts about the Rule 5 Draft
In summary, here are some key facts to know about MLB’s Rule 5 Draft:
- Started in 1959 to prevent prospect hoarding
- Takes place each December at Winter Meetings
- Players eligible after 4-5 years if not on 40-man roster
- Held in reverse order of team win-loss record
- $100,000 draft cost for players in MLB phase
- Players must stick on active roster all season
- Versatile, MLB-ready players often targeted
- Provides talent redistribution opportunities
- Roster rules encourage strategy and personnel decisions
Conclusion
The Rule 5 Draft is an integral part of Major League Baseball that serves to provide opportunities to overlooked prospects while also enabling weaker teams to improve via talent acquisition from loaded farm systems. Players, teams, and fans alike closely follow the Rule 5 Draft each year due to its implications for rosters, depth charts, and the sport’s landscape overall. While the basics of the draft have held constant for decades, it is a unique MLB institution that makes the offseason exciting and unpredictable.