The Braves announced Tuesday that they’ve selected the contracts of outfielder Cristian Pache, catcher William Contreras, right-hander Jasseel De La Cruz and lefties Tucker Davidson and Phil Pfeifer.
Each of Pache, Contreras, De La Cruz and Davidson rank inside the Braves’ top 15 prospects over at MLB.com, with Pache considered to be among the elite prospects in all of baseball. Pache, who turns 21 today, is an elite center field defender who is fresh off a .277/.340/.462 batting line put together against vastly older competition between Double-A and Triple-A this season. Contreras, also 21, is the younger brother of Cubs backstop Willson Contreras. He hit .255/.314/.354 in 416 plate appearances between Class-A Advanced and Double-A in 2019.
Both Davidson, 24, and Pfeifer, 27, reached Triple-A for the first time this season, though both pitchers’ time with Atlanta’s Gwinnett affiliate was brief late in the season. De La Cruz, meanwhile, topped out at Double-A. All three worked more as starters than relievers, giving the Braves another wave of near-MLB arms from which they could draw during the upcoming 2020 season.
The addition of all five prospects protects them from being selected in this year’s Rule 5 Draft. The deadline for all 30 MLB teams to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft is tomorrow evening. Atlanta’s 40-man roster is now up to a count of 38 players.
Burrows and Graham stick out as noticeable players not added.
I think they still have a couple of spots left on the 40 man. They could still add until tomorrow.
Burrows isn’t worth it after this season.
Read that as Wilson Contreras and was confused
His little bro.
Wait really? Cool
gotta leave room for Ian Anderson
He’s not rule 5 eligible and not gonna make the opening day roster (at least he likely won’t)
Jethro Tull??
Saw Tull live at the Stadium 1973 or 4. He sucked.
I was named after Ian Anderson and ironically I hate more than anything flute playing in a rock and roll context.
Shotgun goes to Ryan. Congratulations Ryan!
How is Pache eligible for the Rule 5? I’m not an expert but I thought it was guys with 5 season of pro ball if signed under age 19?
id presume he signed prior to the 2015 Rule 5 Draft. its not technically by pro experience, but by years since signing/number of rule 5 drafts since signing.
He signed in early July of 2015 and then debuted in June of 2016. As Darkside said, I believe its based off calendar years, not playing experience.
maybe they want him up at some point in 2020 perhaps as earlybas opening day and thus they added him to the 40 even though he doesn’t have to be until 2021??