The Rule 5 draft has at times been called an exercise similar to getting a needle in a haystack. Players who were not protected by their respective teams, by not being included in their rosters of 40, are available for something.
Last year, Akil Badoo was claimed by the Tigers and ended up being a major player for the club, producing a 2.1 WAR according to Baseball-Reference. Right-hander Garrett Whitlock also came to the Red Sox to be an integral part of their bullpen, especially in the postseason.
MLB Pipeline identified the most interesting Latin American prospects heading into the Rule 5 Draft, scheduled for December 9.
Red Sox: Gilberto Jiménez, OF (No. 10)
After signing for $ 10,000 in 2017, the Dominican has become one of the best contact hitters, base runners and defenders on Boston’s farms. But he hasn’t played above the Class-A Low level – where he hit .306 / .346 / .405 with 13 stolen bases in 94 games in 2021.
Guardians: Oscar González, OF (Not on Cleveland’s rankings)
The Guardians chose not to protect the Dominican for the third consecutive offseason, even after the youngster produced his best numbers (.293 / .329 / .542, with 31 homers in 121 games between Double-A and Triple-A).
Royals: Seuly Matías, OF (Not in club ranking)
It is not the first time for the Dominican in a Draft of Rule 5. In fact, it is his third participation. But his combination of power and above-average arm make the outfielder an attractive option. The 23-year-old from Dominican Republic recently showed it in the Arizona Fall League, where he spliced six homers in 22 games, including the longest homer (466 feet) and three of the strongest shots from the outfield on the circuit.
Twins: Yunior Severino, 2B, 3B (Club No. 26)
The Dominican originally made a deal with the Braves, but was among the prospects who declared free agents because Atlanta violated signing rules. He hasn’t played past Class-A, but he looked better in 35 games in Class-A Strong (.321 / .414 / .493) than Class-A Low in 2021.
Astros: Yainer Díaz, C (Club No. 13)
The Dominican has hit .328 in four seasons as a professional, including .300 / .336 / .443 with six homers in 73 games between Class-A Low and Strong. He has a solid arm, but he needs more power and better blocking skills at the plate.
Angels: Robinson Pina, RHP (Club No. 20)
The Dominican reached Double-A in 2021, but struggled there, before his ups and downs in the Arizona Fall League. Still, he struck out 13.2 opponents for every nine innings during the regular season. It looks like an arm destined for the bullpen.
Mariners: José Caballero, 3B, SS (Not in the club ranking)
The Mariners haven’t been able to get a good look at the Panamanian after getting him at the 2019 trade deadline, due to the 2020 hiatus and a knee injury this year. He played only 20 games in the regular season and did not have good numbers in the Arizona Fall League, but he still has some projection at bat and can defend three positions in the infield.
Cardinals: Delvin Pérez, SS (Club No. 12)
The Puerto Rican is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the second year in a row, but he has a strong profile this time around. His above-average running and defending skills elevate him on the list. In addition, Pérez only has one season in Double-A under his belt. However, his bat remains a question mark, at .265 / .322 / .339 with four home runs in 98 games.
Dodgers: Leonel Valera, SS (Club No. 15)
The Venezuelan shortstop offers 20-20 potential, along with an above-average arm and the versatility to play across the diamond. Los Angeles takes a chance after seeing Valera hit .224 / .305 / .436 with 16 homers and 16 stolen bases in 95 games in Class-A Strong.
Parents: Esteury Ruiz, OF (Not in club ranking)
The Dominican can fly and is very aggressive on the bases, after stealing at least 30 pads in each of his last three seasons. In fact, his 119 steals are the third-most in the minors since 2018. He spent his entire 22-year season in Double-A, but he was an average player at bat (.249 / .32 / .411 with 10 homers in 84 matches). Ruiz has improved his ability to make contact and has begun to give out flashes of power.
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Latino quality in the Draft of Rule 5