Relax The Atlanta Braves Are Ready For Rule 5

Much discussion here lately centered around the Atlanta Braves approach to the Rule 5 Draft. Relax  folks the Atlanta Braves Are Ready For Rule 5

There’s been concern that the Atlanta Braves filled their 40-man roster too quickly, something that really has little merit.  Before I go farther a quick review of the layers and conditions of the rule 5 draft is needed. I wrote about the rules and the way the Braves would set up for it two months ago. I’ll just repeat just the salient points.

There are three phases to the Rule 5 draft:

• The Major League Phase when teams can select Rule 5 Draft eligible players off the reserve lists of any minor league clubs for a fee of $50,000.
• The AAA Phase when AAA affiliates can choose eligible players off the reserve lists of minor league clubs below AAA for $12,000.
• The AA Phase when AA affiliates can choose eligible players off the reserve lists of minor league clubs below AA for $4,000.

Key Points:

• At the Major League level the player must remain on the Major League 25-man roster for the entirety of the next season.
• Even if the player goes on the DL, they must be active on the active roster for 90 days
• If the draftee misses a whole season, they must be on the active roster for 90 days the following season
• Players chosen in the minor league part of the draft do not need to return to the original teams for any reason. Their contracts are irrevocable assigned to the drafting team.

How involved are major league teams with Rule 5?

The cost of player development and a shortage of good prospects means teams work hard to keep their best players and look to steal under valued, unprotected prospects. That said the last two requirement make it rare that a major league team takes a Rule 5 player. Teams in full rebuild mode or with little chance of challenging will do this is they believe in the long-term value of the player as the Braves did with Daniel Winkler.

In general terms players that are major league ready and worthy of a roster spot usually aren’t available in the draft.   It does happen of course, players come to the majors and stick  – Ender Inciarte for example – and it makes news because it is so rare. In 2013 J.J. Cooper writing for Baseball America summed up the minor league phases like this.

". . . In other words, a player selected in the Triple-A phase does not rank among his organization’s top 78 talents, and a Double-A selection does not rank among its top 115. In these cases, players are not required to remain on a particular roster . . . While you will see a few useful prospects selected every year in the major league phase . . . the pickings in the Triple-A and Double-A phases are much slimmer. . . minor league phases are used much more as an inexpensive way to add depth to the minor league clubs by acquiring a player who fills a need for (not available within the organization)"