The Braves announced that they have returned Rule 5 pick Christian Cairo to the Guardians. Atlanta’s 40-man roster count drops to 37 but Cairo does not need to take up a roster spot with Cleveland. Atlanta also officially announced that their other Rule 5 pick, Anderson Pilar, was returned to the Marlins. The Pilar news was reported earlier today.
Cairo, 24 in June, was a fourth-round pick of Cleveland’s in 2019. His profile has been fairly consistent. He’s never hit a lot of home runs but has always drawn plenty of walks. In 1,390 minor league plate appearances, he has just 15 homers but has earned free passes at a 15.6% clip. He also stole 72 bases in 89 tries while playing all four infield positions and some left field.
Perhaps Atlanta felt Cairo was ready to jump to the big leagues and serve as a utility guy, so they grabbed him in the Rule 5. Unfortunately, he didn’t do much to impress in camp, producing a tepid .179/.294/.250 batting line.
Per the parameters of the Rule 5 draft, selected players cannot be optioned to the minors. In order to keep him, Atlanta would have had to carry Cairo on the active roster. They clearly weren’t willing to do so and let him go. Rule 5 players have to be put on waivers if they are not kept. Other clubs could claim them but would be bound by the same roster rules. Now that Cairo has been returned to the Guardians, he can provide them with some non-roster depth and try to earn his way to the big leagues the traditional way.
No Deposit, No Returns!
Strictly speaking, there was a deposit and they don’t get it back.
I think Cleveland has to pay $50 K to get him back.
Looks like the Braves went 0-2 in the Rule 5. You have to consider it a complete failure of scouting to not even get out of Spring Training with either one.
Doesn’t it cost $50k to draft a player in the rule 5 draft, and the drafting team gets half back if they don’t keep the draftee? So a $25,000 mistake…..I doubt any scouts lost their job over it.
It’s $100,000 to draft someone and you get $50,000 back if you return them, so the money is slightly off but otherwise I agree with you
I’m old and my brain didn’t update, so I googled it.
“Prior to the CBA in effect during 2017–2021, each draftee cost $50,000 and therefore $25,000 to be reacquired by his original team.”
$50k or $100k either one is chump change and worth taking a shot at the next Johan Santana. I’d say the percentage of rule 5 picks sticking with the drafting team all season is pretty small.
There are usually a handful of guys every year who do, and even though they’re usually just utility guys and low-leverage relievers, it’s still absolutely worth the gamble for the money it costs.
Paying $100,000 for a chance at a viable major leaguer is worth it by itself, but if you happen to get a Johan or even a Garrett Whitlock or Trevor Stephan, you’re coming out ahead.
I never said it was a costly failure, and I definitely never said anyone should lose their job over it, but it is still a failure. In this case a double failure.
For most teams, Rule 5 picks are mostly just injury insurance for the beginning of the season. Teams with any real competitive aspirations shouldn’t have room to carry a borderline prospect on their active roster all season.
I can assure you that no club views returning a rule 5 guy as a scouting failure
I don’t feel assured. I don’t see how it can be viewed as anything but a failure.
It’s a failure like buying a Powerball ticket and not winning is a failure. It’s not like they were really counting on the player for anything.
Nothing lost. How is this a failure? Explain it to me like I am 5 years old and live in Mongolia.
Энэ үед тэр зүгээр л зөрүүдлээд байна
If anyone is looking for an example of a bad take, I found one!
Neh, Rule 5 is a free trial subscription.
You can sign up, having every expectation that you will probably hate the product, and walk away when the trial ends. No harm, no foul
Rule 5 exists as a means to give a limbo-banished AAAA minor league lifer an opportunity with a new organization. It’s a free scratch off lotto ticket for the claiming club.
It’s not like using a 1st round pick on a guy who can’t hit a curveball.
Or trading for Jarred Kelenic and taking bad contracts with him.
Ouch lol..
Atlanta has to have something in mind clearing this much roster space.
Neris is going to get one of the spots
The Braves didn’t need him, His skills overlap guys on the MLB roster.
I really wanted to keep him also. The dude gets on base a good bit. That’s nice to have as a backup, even on the bench
Cairos lack of power is top 1% or less among mlb players. Imo.
Looking at a 10 double, 3 hr guy in the minors. What does that translate into the mlb?
I’m a Guardians fan who has been to every Ohio affiliate and regularly reads and tracks their system. Cairo was a head scratching pick for me. He hasn’t done that much in his minors career and the team has roughly a thousand middle infield prospects. I was genuinely confused when he was taken.
Not surprised to see him back. I hope maybe he shows whatever Atlanta saw in him
@Col: Think what “Atlanta saw in him” had more to do w/their total lack of ML quality middle infield depth in their upper minors than a belief that Cairo would be a viable utility option. Just a cheap bet on some insurance at the position.