MLB Rule 5 Draft 2014: Analyzing Prospects Available for Selection

Everyone in baseball is looking to get better, and one intriguing way to do that is through the Rule 5 draft.

Although it is a complicated process, minor league players are available to be poached by other teams if they are not on a 40-man roster and have played four or five years (depending on the age they originally signed with their club) of pro baseball. Teams often protect their best assets, but you only have so many spots that can be filled.

The catch is that any player drafted has to spend the entire season on a major league roster or be sent back to the original team. You can view more details on the process at MLB.com.

Everyone is looking for the next Johan Santana, but only three players were officially retained through this process last season.

Still, this represents a low-risk, high-reward attempt to bring in some talent to the organization. Here are some of the most notable players who could be selected in the upcoming draft.

Delino DeShields Jr., OF, Houston Astros

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

This might be the most intriguing name in the draft. DeShields could really help out a major league team, but he seems far away from really putting it together.

The son of the former major leaguer was a first-round pick in the 2010 draft and has shown plenty of ability in his young career. In 2013, he crushed it in High-A ball with a .317/.405/.468 slash line. 

Unfortunately, things did not go as smoothly in Double-A. He was held to just a .236 batting average.

According to Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow doesn't believe the outfielder will be taken in the Rule 5 draft.

"It's a tricky thing," Luhnow noted. "You never know which teams are going to like which players and what they’re looking for. But it is difficult to keep a Rule 5 player all year long." 

On the other hand, Nick Hamelin of Baseball Essential felt the opposite right away:

At the very least, DeShields does have great speed that translates to any level of baseball. He could be a quality fifth outfielder for a year, excelling as a defensive replacement and pinch runner while slowly improving his bat.

It seems likely someone will at least take a chance on the potential impact player.

Cody Martin, RHP, Atlanta Braves

The problem with most players in the Rule 5 Draft is that they're not ready to contribute. The majority of unprotected prospects have never seen the upper levels of the minors, and the jump to the majors is too big for them to succeed.

That will not be the case with Cody Martin, who is ready for the big leagues. The starting pitcher has spent the past year and a half in Triple-A, compiling a 3.51 ERA in 40 appearances (37 starts). Overall, he has 208 strikeouts in 225.2 innings at this level.

Although he is unlikely to be a front-line starter, he could step into a major league rotation immediately and be successful. That's much more than you can say about almost any other pitcher available.

On the other hand, JJ Cooper of Baseball America sees it another way:

The low ceiling makes it easier for Braves fans to cope with a potential loss, while it also will keep teams away from making the pick.

Still, a cheap pitcher is a valuable asset, and he is clearly worth the risk for a team that needs to add starters this offseason.

Edgar De La Rosa, RHP, Detroit Tigers

While they are both right-handed pitchers, Edgar De La Rosa is as different as you can get to Martin as a prospect at this stage.

The Tigers prospect has never pitched in Double-A and struggled this past season in Single-A, posting just 91 strikeouts to go with 53 walks in 139 innings, all as a starter. His ERA was solid at 3.30, but he needs to learn how to control his pitches better before he can be successful.

However, the one thing he is known for is his velocity. He can throw 100 MPH and usually sits in the high 90s, which is enough to make him a valuable piece out of the bullpen. If he can have a consistent second pitch and locate it in the strike zone, he could be dominant.

A team could take a chance on De La Rosa in this draft and stick him in the bullpen, hoping that he can have some success in this new role. If he does last the year, he could have a bright future as either a starter or a reliever. 

Player	Position	Current Team
Steven Baron	C	Seattle Mariners
Taylor Featherston	SS	Colorado Rockies
Mark Canha	1B	Miami Marlins
Sean Gilmartin	LHP	Minnesota Twins
Kaleb Cowart	3B	Los Angeles Angels
Mychal Givens	RHP	Baltimore Orioles
Henry Ramos	OF	Boston Red Sox

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