Bernie on the Scene: Scouting Rule 5 Draft Players

This week, I begin a two-part series on selections in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft, which was held Dec. 10.

Players unprotected on a 40-man major league roster are eligible to be selected by another MLB franchise for $100,000.  The selected player is added to his new team's 40-man roster. The selected player must remain on his new team's active roster for the entire season. 

A selected player may be offered back to his original team for $50,000. If the original team declines the return of the player, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent. There are other nuances to the Rule 5 Draft, but they are rather cumbersome and I will spare my readers the finer details.

I am doing these articles to introduce fantasy managers to players they may not know much about. Most teams drafting players are hoping to strike gold for a minor investment.

Here are some of the players selected. The number of the pick is listed. Next week I will profile another group.

Jose Soriano, Pirates from Angels
Right-handed pitcher
Pick: 1
Age: 22
Height: 6-3
Weight: 168 
International free agent from Dominican Republic in 2016 for $70,000

Let me begin by saying Soriano had Tommy John surgery in 2019. Soriano has an electric fastball that he can bring to 98 miles per hour. While he sits in the mid-90s, Soriano has the type of arm that can increase his velocity with relative ease. 

The problem with Soriano has been command and control. He is wild. But he's young. That said, Soriano also throws a better than average curveball and an average changeup. I would guess the Pirates may work on adding another pitch like a cutter or slider to his repertoire. However, first they have to help bring consistency to his release point and fix his control and command. After a year in the Pirates pen, he may return to starting.

Frankly, with the Angels' pitching issues, it is a surprise to me that he wasn't protected.

Conclusions: Keep your eye on his rehab experience and progress with the Pirates. He has a chance to enter their rotation as soon as the team thinks he can repeat a solid delivery and shows no signs of post-surgery elbow or arm stress. He's a Pirates keeper and he'll appear in their rotation as soon as they are comfortable with his progress.

Luis Oviedo, Mets from Indians; then traded to Pittsburgh for cash
Right-handed pitcher
Pick: 10
Age: 21
Height: 6-4
Weight: 170
International free agent from Venezuela in 2015 for $375,000

Some think the Indians made a mistake by not protecting Oviedo. In his development so far, he has had two seasons shortened by severe back issues. That has to be the primary reason he was left exposed to other clubs. There have been concerns about his conditioning.

He has a fastball that ranges from 88-93, but he is terribly inconsistent in his mechanical approach. Very hittable, Oviedo has not mastered control and command of his slider, curveball and changeup with any more consistency than his fastball. 

Orviedo tries to keep hitters off balance with his wide array of breaking pitches. But he has been prone to hanging his curve and slider, which can be a serious issue.

There are observers who think he is much heavier than his 170-pound listing. When I saw video, he did look heavier.

Conclusions: Back issues make him very risky. He would have to throw an entirely injury free year in his development program for me to be convinced he is capable of eating innings as a starter. The Pirates are hopeful they have found a diamond in the rough for the cost of $100,000 and whatever they pay the Mets for the trade. I'm not as sure.

Akil Baddoo, Tigers from Twins
Outfielder, Left-handed hitter
Pick: 3
Age: 22
Height: 6-1
Weight: 210
Drafted by the Twins in 2nd round in 2016

Baddoo missed most of 2019 due to left elbow Tommy John surgery. That means teams have not seen him play competitive baseball for more that two seasons. He has basically missed two development seasons. Baddoo did, however, take part in the recent Instructional League play.

Baddoo is known for having a bit of an awkward swing path, but he has enough raw tools to offset a lack of home-run power potential. Seen as very fast and a good base runner, Baddoo may make it to center field on the Tigers due to above average speed and excellent defense. But his arm strength is only average.

I view Baddoo more as a fourth or fifth outfielder with some value late in games, as a defensive replacement or base runner.

Conclusions: Baddoo has time to make up after Tommy John. He had reached High-A, so his path to the big leagues may be two years away. He's young and capable, but he has work to do on his offensive game.

 Jordan Sheffield, Rockies from Dodgers
Right-handed pitcher
Pick: 8
Age: 25
Height: 5-10
Weight: 190
2016 first-round pick of the Dodgers out of Vanderbilt University

Jordan Sheffield is the older brother of left-hander Justus Sheffield. Jordan is a right-hander and two inches shorter than Justus.

It's hard to believe that 2016 first-round draft pick is left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft. But the Dodgers are loaded with prospects, and Jordan was deemed expendable. But he wasn't taken in last year's Rule 5 either. The Dodgers just passed on keeping him.

The Dodgers drafted Sheffield as a starter, but he has since been converted to the bullpen. It's likely the Rockies will evaluate him in their own system and determine his role.

He can work best in the pen and throw his fastball at 99 miles per hour for a limited number of pitches. He has trouble with command, which is the case with many of the pitchers on this page. But Sheffield brings the heat from a rather compact frame.

I think if Sheffield is confined to the bullpen where he can use his fastball and his good curve exclusively, he'll be adequate. I don't see much improvement in his changeup, but improving that pitch would really help.

Conclusions: I'm suspect when the Dodgers give up on a first-round pitcher. I also don't like his chances in Colorado if he hangs a curve or his fastball command is not improved. I'll wait to see what he brings to Colorado before making a final judgement.

Garrett Whitlock, Red Sox from Yankees
Right-handed pitcher
Pick: 4
Age: 24
Height-6-5
Weight: 190

Drafted by the Yankees in the 18th round in 2017 out of the University of Alabama

Whitlock is another pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery. It is expected he'll be ready to pitch by spring training.

The Red Sox can use Whitlock either as a starter or reliever, and they will determine his role after seeing his progress following surgery. He has been a starter throughout his Yankees development.

Throwing cross-fire, Whitlock uses his height to his advantage. He threw a mid-90s fastball before surgery, but his slider may be a better overall pitch. His changeup is a work in progress.

The Yankees didn't have much of a financial investment in Whitlock, so when he needed Tommy John surgery it probably made sense to expose him to the draft and not use a 40-man roster spot to protect him. Now he goes to the rival Red Sox.

Conclusions: Whitlock went a bit higher than I expected at No. 4 overall. I don't really see too much to get excited about. He isn't a power pitcher with a big history of strikeouts and dominating hitters. He's a guy. But I think he's a guy who will stick with Boston all year.

Kyle Holder, Phillies from Yankees
Infielder, Left-handed hitter
Pick: 13
Age: 26
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185 pounds
2015 first-round pick by Yankees out of the University of San Diego

Holder's primary position is shortstop, but he can play elsewhere. He was part of the Yankees' 60-man summer player pool, and did see big league action. He is seen as an excellent defensive shortstop.

The Yankees made 2015 first-round draft pick Kyle Holder available in the draft, and the Phillies swooped him up. However, even with his high draft status, Holder never made it with the Yankees.

His best power season was 2019, when Holder hit nine homers and drove in 40 runs for Double-A Trenton. That came at age 25. His next best homer output came in 2017, when he hit seven. He just doesn't have a big offensive game.

A contact, hitter, Holder will carry a minor league career .264/317/.350/.667 stat line with him to Philadelphia. However, as I stated, Holder is seen as a "defense first" player. The Phillies don't have many infielders on their 40-man roster, so with Holder being advanced in his development, he was attractive as a Rule 5 player.

Conclusions: The Phillies had little to lose making the investment in a good late-inning defensive player. He doesn't hold much value, however, as a fantasy shortstop or infielder. I think he sticks with the Phillies and will see playing time.

Jose Alberto Rivera, Angels from Astros
Right-handed pitcher
Pick: 9
Age: 23
Height: 6-3
Weight: 160
International free agent from Dominican Republic for $10,000

Many had Rivera ranked in the top 15 of Angels prospects, and as such, it was surprising to see him offered up in the Rule 5 draft.

Rivera's fastball has progressed into a pitch that he can throw in the high 90s-even hitting 100 miles per hour upon occasion. That, coupled with his slider and change-up are quality pitches. He struck out an average of 11.3 hitters per nine innings in 2019.

Apparently, scouts as well as the Astros had concerns about his long arm delivery and his overall maximum effort mechanics from a lanky frame, making him more suitable for shorter stints in the bullpen. So it is likely that's how he will be used by the Angels. He can eat a couple innings or even end up in the back end of the pen.

He just doesn't throw strikes and his control has been a huge issue. With a slight frame and his intense effort, Rivera could be an injury concern.

Conclusions: If the Angels can tame down some of the aggressive approach Rivera has shown on the mound, they could have found themselves a very solid bullpen arm. He has to throw more strikes to be viable, but he's still very young.

Brett de Geus, Rangers from Dodgers
Right-handed pitcher
Pick: 2
Age: 23
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190
2017 33rd-round pick by Dodgers out of Cabrillo College in California for $75,000

After he was drafted, a 2017 physical revealed de Guis had a heart condition that delayed his professional debut.

I have to begin by stating that it is rare, if not impossible, for a 33rd-round pick to make it to the big leagues. That's one of the reasons MLB has reduced its 2021 draft to 25 rounds.

De Geus last pitched in the Arizona Fall League in 2019. He made eight relief appearances and finished with a 0.00 ERA in 9.1 innings. No matter how you slice it, that's impressive.

I did not see him pitch last fall, but he yielded only two hits, walked two and finished with a 0.42 WHIP. He struck out 11.  So why not take a chance on this guy if you're the Rangers?

Why let him go if you're the Dodgers?

Well, the Dodgers are deep in pitching, they have no real investment in him, and the Rangers need arms. It's that simple. The deep Dodgers reliever pool didn't allow them to retain de Geus on their 40-man.

At 95-98 mph with his fastball, with a curve, cutter and slider as secondary pitches. De Geus is known to throw strikes. That matters. I'm intrigued.

Conclusions: De Geus could be a real sleeper. He has improved recently and may well exceed his late-round draft status. I want to see more, but he has my attention.

Heading Home

MLB is continuing its destruction of minor league baseball. It has now dictated that each MLB club will "invite" triple-A, double-A, high-A and single-A affiliations. There will be some Independent teams and a new Showcase League, which will feature newly drafted players.

In all, it is estimated that minor league baseball will be reduced by some 43 teams. I still think there will be more adding and subtracting before the first pitch is thrown in spring training.

A huge war is brewing between minor league baseball owners and MLB. The war isn't being played out in the media, but it really is serious.

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