MLB Rule 5 Draft 2022 Results: Team by Team Breakdown

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVDecember 7, 2022

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Thad Ward #18 of the Scottsdale Scorpions pitches during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Scottsdale Scorpions at Scottsdale Stadium on Monday, October 10, 2022 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Major League Baseball held its Rule 5 draft on Wednesday, a chance for players at an MLB level but perhaps without a natural path to a regular role with their current team to get selected by another squad.

The team that lost the player would then receive $100,000 from the drafting clubs.

Below are the draft results and a breakdown of the top players moved.

Round 1

1. Washington Nationals: RHP Thad Ward (Boston Red Sox)

2. Oakland Athletics: 1B Ryan Noda (Los Angeles Dodgers)

3. Pittsburgh Pirates: LHP Jose Hernandez (Dodgers)

4. Cincinnati Reds: OF Blake Sabol (Pirates)

5. Kansas City Royals: pass

6. Detroit Tigers: RHP Mason Englert (Texas Rangers)

7. Rangers: pass

8. Colorado Rockies: RHP Kevin Kelly (Cleveland Guardians)

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9. Miami Marlins: RHP Nic Enright (Guardians)

10. Los Angeles Angels: pass

11. Arizona Diamondbacks: pass

12. Chicago Cubs: pass

13. Minnesota Twins: pass

14. Red Sox: pass

15. Chicago White Sox: RHP Nick Avila (San Francisco Giants)

16. Giants: pass

17. Baltimore Orioles: RHP Andrew Politi (Red Sox)

18. Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Gus Varland (Dodgers)

19. Tampa Bay Rays: pass

20. Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Noah Song (Red Sox)

21. San Diego Padres: LHP Jose Lopez (Rays)

22. Seattle Mariners: RHP Chris Clarke (Cubs)

23. Guardians: pass

24. Toronto Blue Jays: pass

25. St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Wilking Rodriguez (New York Yankees)

26. Yankees: pass

27. New York Mets: RHP Zach Greene (Yankees)

28. Atlanta Braves: pass

29. Houston Astros: pass

30. Dodgers: pass

Round 2

All teams passed in the second round.

Key Takeaways

It was a bit of a surprise that Thad Ward was made available for Wednesday's Rule 5 draft by the Red Sox, but it wasn't much of a shock that he was immediately off the board.

He has the potential to be a very nice get for the Nationals:

Aram Leighton @AramLeighton8
Thad Ward's slider is a big league out pitch. Can manipulate it to a harder cutter in the upper 80s as well which he can use to tie up lefties. Sinker is good ground ball machine as well. <a href="https://t.co/V9N9v9kobX">https://t.co/V9N9v9kobX</a> <a href="https://t.co/q4Detiwmsl">pic.twitter.com/q4Detiwmsl</a>

Christopher Crawford @Crawford_MILB
Thad Ward is one of the better prospects I've seen drafted in the Rule 5 in a while. Was a legitimate candidate for my top 10 for the magazine. Nice get for Washington.

Mark Zuckerman @MarkZuckerman
The Nationals have selected Red Sox RHP Thad Ward with the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 draft. Soon-to-be 26-year-old had Tommy John surgery in 2021, returned healthy late in the season and then pitched in the Arizona Fall League. Could be a swingman in Nats rotation/pen.

Mark Zuckerman @MarkZuckerman
Mike Rizzo says Thad Ward will be stretched out in spring training like starters, most likely will spend the season as a multi-inning reliever. But they do view him as a starter long-term.

Ward, 25, went 0-2 with a 2.28 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 51.1 innings for four different teams last season (13 total starts).

Noda, 26, was excellent for Triple-A Oklahoma City last season, hitting .259 with 25 homers, 90 RBI, 86 runs, 20 stolen bases and a .870 OPS in 135 games.

Hernandez, the No. 3 player off the board and a bit of a surprise selection, has impressed with his fastball but may need to work on his complementary pitches:

Kody Duncan @KodyDuncanPGH
Here is some footage of Jose Hernandez. He can touch 99mph on his FB 👀 <a href="https://t.co/0dxIbV1F61">pic.twitter.com/0dxIbV1F61</a>

Alex Stumpf @AlexJStumpf
Report I just got on Jose Hernandez, the LHP the Pirates selected in the MLB Rule 5 draft: Sits 96 mph. Plus fastball. Slider is fine. Not a ton of depth or sweep. Mixes in a bad changeup.

Kody Duncan @KodyDuncanPGH
The Pirates Rule 5 draft pick: LHP Jose Hernandez from the Los Angeles Dodgers. 2022 stats: 4-4 3.32ERA 59.2IP 69K in A+ and AA

Finally, while the Pirates added Hernandez they lost Sabol. The 24-year-old hit .284 with 19 homers, 75 RBI, 74 runs, 10 stolen bases and a .859 OPS in 123 games between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.