Baltimore Orioles Make Interesting Decision on Rule 5 Draft

The Baltimore Orioles had just one key decision to make when it came to their Rule 5 Draft protections.

The Orioles had to turn in prospects that they want to protect on Tuesday by moving them to their 40-man roster. If they didn’t, they would expose them to the Rule 5 Draft.

The Orioles had just one Top 30 prospects, as ranked by MLB.com, that was of particular note.

That prospect was outfielder Hudson Haskin (No. 17)

Per MLB.com, the Orioles opted not to protect Haskin from the Rule 5 Draft. For now, their roster will remain at 36 players. 

The moves can be critical for the Orioles’ future, as there are players that could make their way to the team one day.

The Orioles have built one of the best farm systems in baseball. It produced the 2023 AL Rookie of the Year in Gunnar Henderson, catcher Adley Rutschman, pitcher Grayson Rodriguez and two potential 2024 starting outfielders in Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad.

That doesn’t even take into account the Orioles’ No. 1 prospect, and the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, in shortstop Jackson Holliday.

Baltimore is coming off a 101-win season in which it won the American League East but lost to the Rangers in three games in the AL Division Series. Manager Brandon Hyde is up for Manager of the Year while Henderson and Rutschman won AL Silver Sluggers last week.

The Rule 5 Draft, or the Winter Meeting Draft, will take place on Dec. 6 in Nashville.

Players signed at age 18 or younger who had not been added to the 40-man within five seasons of becoming a pro, or players who signed at age 19 or older and had not been added to the 40-man roster within four seasons were eligible for protection.

For teams that draft a player in the Rule 5 Draft, they must pay $100,000 to the player’s club, put him on their 26-man roster immediately and put him out outright waivers if they release him the following season. If he clears waivers, he goes back to his former team for $50,000.