The Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contracts of Yadier Alvarez, Matt Beaty, Edwin Rios, Keibert Ruiz and Josh Sborz, adding them to their 40-man roster and protecting from possibly being selected in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft.
Heading into the day the Dodgers had two open spots on their 40-man roster and unlike recent years, a large crop of Minor Leaguers who are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. In addition to Ruiz, the most notable of which included Alvarez and Rios.
Also eligible to have been protected were Shakir Albert, Isaac Anderson, Beaty, Leo Crawford, Kyle Garlick, Garrett Hope, Drew Jackson, Connor Joe, Logan Landon, Nolan Long, Gersel Pitre, Cristian Santana, Sborz, Andrew Sopko, Jefrey Souffront, Shea Spitzbarth and Jared Walker.
Teams had until 5 p.m. PT on Tuesday to place applicable players on their 40-man rosters. Those eligible are players who signed at 18 years of age or young and have five seasons of experience in professional baseball.
Players that signed at 19 or older and have four seasons of experience are also eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft if they were not added to a 40-man roster. Essentially, 2015 college draftees, 2014 high school draftees and most international free agents signed during the 2014-15 international period are eligible.
Any players selected during the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft at the conclusion of the Winter Meetings next month cost $50,000 and must spend the entire season on the new club’s active roster, or be offered back to their previous team for $25,000.
Last year, the Dodgers added Trevor Oaks and Dennis Santana to their 40-man roster to protect against losing either right-handed pitching prospect in the Rule 5 Draft. Santana went on to make his MLB debut but saw his season derailed by injury, and Oaks was part of a three-team trade in January.