Cardinals Return Rule 5 Pick Matt Pushard To Marlins
The Cardinals returned Rule 5 draftee Matt Pushard to the Marlins, relays Jeff Jones of The Belleville News-Democrat. St. Louis designated the righty for assignment over the weekend.
Pushard didn’t get much of an opportunity to establish himself. He landed on the injured list almost immediately due to patellar tendinitis in his right knee. That kept him on the shelf for six weeks. The 28-year-old righty pitched pretty well after coming off the injured list, tossing scoreless appearances in each of his first four outings. He labored through 28 pitches in a mop-up appearance against the Cubs on Saturday, however, leading the Cards to swap him out for Hunter Dobbins after the game.
Rule 5 picks can’t be optioned. The Cardinals needed to designate him for assignment and run him through outright waivers. After he cleared, they offered him back to the Marlins for $50K. Miami accepted and will presumably assign him back to Triple-A Jacksonville, where he spent the entire 2025 season.
An undrafted free agent out of the University of Maine in 2022, Pushard has been a pure reliever throughout his minor league career. He worked 62 1/3 innings of 3.61 ERA ball with the Jumbo Shrimp last season, striking out 28.5% of opposing hitters. He’ll be eligible for the Rule 5 draft again next offseason if he doesn’t earn a spot on Miami’s 40-man roster before then. Their bullpen has a little above average this season.
Rule 5 Update: June Edition
MLBTR checks in with periodic updates on last offseason’s Rule 5 class throughout the year. There have been a few changes since our most recent check-in during the first week of the regular season. Four players who were on their selecting team’s roster at the time have since lost their spots.
Rule 5 draftees must remain on a team’s major league roster or injured list for the entire following season. If they spend less than 90 days on the active roster, the stipulations carry into the following year. A team that carries a Rule 5 pick for the entire year — plus the 90-day active roster requirement — gets the player’s full contractual rights.
If the drafting team wants to remove the player from the MLB roster, they need to trade or waive them, giving all other clubs an opportunity to take on the Rule 5 requirement. Most DFA’d Rule 5 picks will clear waivers and then need to be offered back to their original organization for $50K — half of what the drafting team paid the previous club to make the selection in December. The original organization gets the player back without requiring a 40-man roster spot. They almost always take the player back, though it’s not universal (as we’ll see with one member of this year’s Rule 5 group).
There were 13 players selected in last year’s draft. Only three remain on the active roster, but two of them have had significant impacts. A right-hander who entered the season with almost zero minor league experience is now a de facto starter for the defending American League champions. Another draftee’s hot start to his MLB career factored into a team’s willingness to trade their two-time Gold Glove catcher.
Two more players remain with their drafting team on the injured list. The other eight were pushed off the roster, but one worked his way back to the Majors via a circuitous journey this week.
On Drafting Team’s Active Roster
- Spencer Miles, Blue Jays RHP (selected from Giants)
Miles was probably the most surprising pick in this year’s class. A fourth-rounder by the Giants out of Missouri in 2022, he has thrown 14 2/3 career minor league innings. Miles had a back injury shortly after the draft, then underwent Tommy John surgery. He returned last year in the Arizona Fall League but had two career appearances above rookie ball, both in Low-A.
The Giants left him unprotected, reasoning that no team would roll the dice on a player with such scant experience. It might’ve made sense for a rebuilding team to take a flier on a pitcher with a 96 mph sinker and a plus curveball, hoping to stash him in low-leverage relief. However, Miles was selected by an all-in Jays team coming off an AL pennant. What were the odds they’d actually be willing to keep him on the roster?
High enough, it turns out. The Jays carried Miles as their final reliever out of camp. He rewarded their faith in low-leverage spots while building up to 2-3 inning stints. Toronto’s rotation became progressively more decimated by injury. By May, they’d reached a point where Miles was essentially in the rotation. He might pitch behind an opener and would only work around four innings, but he was pitching every fifth day and logging the biggest workload of any Toronto pitcher on that day.
The 6’3″ righty has pitched quite well. Miles carries a 3.47 ERA with league average strikeout and walk rates and a near-56% grounder percentage over 36 1/3 innings. The Orioles knocked him around in his most recent appearance, but he’d reeled off 15 1/3 frames of one-run ball in his preceding four outings.
It’ll be interesting to see how John Schneider manages Miles’ workload throughout the season. They’re probably not going to have him throw 100+ innings. Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, José Berríos, Max Scherzer and Cody Ponce are all on the IL. Berríos and Ponce are done for the year, while Bieber still seems around a month off.
- Daniel Susac, Giants C (selected from A’s via trade with Minnesota)
Susac was the A’s first-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Arizona. He hit 18 homers in Triple-A last season, batting .275/.349/.483 over 407 plate appearances. That’s actually middling production in an extremely offense-friendly Pacific Coast League environment. Susac struck out at a 27% clip while chasing a lot of pitches off the plate.
The A’s have Shea Langeliers entrenched behind the dish. They opened the season with journeyman Austin Wynns in the backup role, leaving Susac off the 40-man roster. The Giants jumped the Rule 5 draft order by sending rookie ball catcher Miguel Caraballo and cash to the Twins, who held the fourth pick.
Susac broke camp as the backup catcher behind Patrick Bailey. He played sporadically in April but seemed to collect two or three hits every time he was in the lineup. Bailey was hitting terribly as part of an overall punchless San Francisco offense. Susac went on the injured list with ulnar neuritis on April 20. By the time he returned in the middle of May, the Giants had traded Bailey to the Guardians for the #29 pick in this year’s draft and depth arm Matt Wilkinson.
The Giants didn’t make the trade based entirely on two weeks of strong performance from Susac, but he was no doubt part of the consideration. They briefly carried another rookie catcher, Jesús Rodríguez, and are now operating with a Susac-Eric Haase combination.
Susac is hitting .323 in his first 70 plate appearances. He has thrown out seven of 16 stolen base attempts. There’s a decent chance that MLB pitchers will be able to exploit his aggressiveness over a larger sample, and it’s much too soon to declare Susac the Giants’ catcher of the future. He has a knack for hitting line drives, though, and his stock is certainly higher than it was coming into the year.
- Ryan Watson, Red Sox RHP (selected from Giants via trade with A’s)
The 28-year-old Watson has had a winding career arc. A former undrafted free agent, he came up through the Orioles’ system and spent the past couple seasons with the Giants. Watson posted strong strikeout and walk numbers in Triple-A last year to catch the attention of the Red Sox. They swung a deal with the A’s, who held the #8 pick, trading minor league infielder Justin Riemer for Watson’s draft rights.
Boston stuck with Watson through an ugly April in which he gave up 13 runs across 17 2/3 innings. He has started to find his footing in May, allowing seven runs over 16 frames while doubling his strikeout rate. The overall season line still isn’t particularly good: a 5.35 ERA, 19.2% strikeout rate, and six home runs across 33 2/3 innings (1.60 HR/9).
Of the three players in this group, Watson seems the least likely to hold his spot all season. He gets a lot of extension and has a five-pitch mix which the front office clearly likes, but almost all of his work thus far has come in mop-up situations.
On Major League Injured List
- Carter Baumler, Rangers RHP (selected from Orioles via trade with Pittsburgh)
Baumler broke camp and made four appearances before going down with an intercostal strain in early April. He had a setback while trying to rehab last month and is without a clear return timeline. Baumler has only logged 11 of the necessary 90 days on the active roster. A long-term injury could carry the Rule 5 restrictions into next season if the Rangers keep him.
- RJ Petit, Rockies RHP (selected from Tigers)
Petit, the #1 selection, blew out in Spring Training and underwent Tommy John surgery. He’ll spend the entire season on Colorado’s injured list and at least pick up a $780K MLB salary. The Rockies will need to decide whether to reinstate him to the 40-man roster or offer him back to Detroit at the beginning of the offseason. If they hold him, he’ll need to log at least 90 days in their MLB bullpen in 2027 to stick around.
On New Team’s MLB Roster
- Zach McCambley, Reds RHP (selected by Phillies from Marlins)
The Phillies took McCambley out of the Miami system. They returned him at the end of Spring Training after he had more walks than strikeouts in camp. The Fish accepted McCambley back but wound up trading him to the Reds in mid-May for outfielder Rece Hinds. Cincinnati called him up yesterday as they cycle through middle relievers.
The Coastal Carolina product has yet to make his MLB debut. He has a 2.37 ERA with a 31% strikeout rate and 15% walk percentage across 30 1/3 Triple-A innings this year. The Reds are not subject to any Rule 5 restrictions because McCambley already passed through waivers and was returned to his original club in March. They’ll likely shuttle him up and down from Triple-A Louisville throughout the season.
DFA Limbo
- Matt Pushard, RHP (selected by Cardinals from Marlins)
Pushard is currently in DFA limbo after St. Louis designated him for assignment over the weekend. The 28-year-old reliever lost six weeks to patellar tendinitis in his right knee. He made six appearances for St. Louis, allowing five runs (four earned) with a 6:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio over seven innings. The Cards have been surprisingly competitive and evidently felt they could make a better use of that bullpen spot. Assuming he clears waivers, the Marlins will likely accept him back.
Returned To Original Organization
- Alexander Alberto, RHP (returned to Rays by White Sox)
Alberto, the second of the White Sox’s Rule 5 picks, struggled in camp and was returned to the Rays midway through Spring Training. He’s pitching well out of the bullpen at Double-A Montgomery, working 22 innings of 2.86 ERA ball with a huge 35.2% strikeout rate.
- Griff McGarry, RHP (returned to Phillies by Nationals; subsequently traded to Dodgers)
McGarry has monster stuff but has never been around the strike zone. It was more of the same in Spring Training. Despite the Nationals having one of the worst bullpens in MLB, they returned him to the Phillies at the end of camp. Philadelphia traded him to the Dodgers a few weeks later for $500K in international bonus pool space, which went towards their $1.2MM agreement with South Korean amateur pitcher Chan-min Park.
Over 18 Triple-A appearances between the Philly and Dodger organizations, McGarry holds a 5.51 earned run average. He has 24 strikeouts but has walked 22 batters and hit two more in just 16 1/3 innings.
- Jedixson Paez, RHP (returned to Red Sox by White Sox)
Paez was the first of Chicago’s Rule 5 selections and went second overall. Unlike Alberto, he broke camp. It was a leap to expect him to stick all year without having previously pitched above High-A, however. Paez gave up six runs over three innings and was returned to Boston in early April. The Red Sox assigned him to Double-A Portland and have been gradually building him back up as a starter. He has allowed eight runs over 14 2/3 innings across six appearances in his first stint at that level.
- Peyton Pallette, RHP (returned to White Sox by Guardians)
A former second-round pick, Pallette had a flawless camp to earn a middle relief spot with the Guardians. He pitched well in April and looked like one of the better finds in the class, but his command backed up after that. Pallette had nine walks and strikeouts apiece over eight innings in May. Cleveland moved on last week, swapping him out for long man Logan Allen.
Pallette went unclaimed on waivers over the weekend. The White Sox assigned him to Triple-A Charlotte, where he worked around a walk to throw a scoreless inning yesterday. Pallette had a 29.3% strikeout rate in Triple-A last season and could get a look from Chicago later in the summer if he’s around the zone.
- Cade Winquest, RHP (returned to Cardinals by Yankees)
The Yankees carried Winquest for the first couple weeks of the season as part of a nine-man bullpen. They never got him into a game and pushed him off the roster when they needed a fifth starter as the schedule picked up. The Cardinals assigned Winquest to Triple-A Memphis and have used him as a reliever after he’d been a starter throughout his career. He missed a month to injury and has only made seven appearances, allowing five runs despite 13 strikeouts over 8 2/3 innings.
Declined By Original Organization
- Roddery Muñoz, Astros RHP (selected from Reds)
Muñoz was an unconventional Rule 5 selection. While most draftees have no MLB experience, he’d pitched in the Majors with the Marlins and Cardinals from 2024-25. Muñoz had just signed a minor league contract with Cincinnati when Houston snagged him in the Rule 5. He had a strong spring and broke camp but was bombed for seven runs in four innings over three regular season outings.
The Astros designated Muñoz for assignment in early April. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Sugar Land. The Reds evidently preferred not to send the $50K to bring him back, which isn’t all that surprising considering he’d spent a total of one week during the offseason as part of the organization. Muñoz has a 4.58 ERA with a 31% strikeout rate across 19 2/3 Triple-A frames. Houston’s bullpen has been a disaster but should be in a little better shape with Josh Hader and Nate Pearson back from the injured list.
Rule 5 Draft Update: April Edition
In last year’s Rule 5 draft, 13 players were selected in the major league phase, giving them a chance to play for a big league club in 2026. Not all of them broke camp and not all of them are healthy, so we’ll check in on the group from time to time.
For those who need a quick refresher on the parameters, the Rule 5 draft is designed to give major league chances to guys who may be blocked in their current organization. Players become eligible to be taken in the draft after a certain amount of time in the minors but can be protected from selection by being added to the 40-man roster. A player selected in the Rule 5 cannot be optioned to the minors, meaning he has to stay in the big leagues or on the injured list for the entire season. After a full season, the selecting team gets the player’s rights permanently, as long as he was active for at least 90 days. If the player is not active for 90 days, due to a significant injury, the Rule 5 parameters carry over into the next season.
If the selecting team no longer wants to roster the player, he needs to either be traded or placed on waivers. Any acquiring team would take on the same Rule 5 restrictions. If he clears waivers, he is offered back to his original organization. That club can take the player back without carrying him on the 40-man roster.
On An Active Roster
Daniel Susac, Giants C (selected from Athletics by Twins, traded to Giants)
Susac made the Opening Day roster but didn’t get his first start until last night, San Francisco’s seventh game of the season. That debut could hardly have gone much better. Susac went three for three and also drew a walk. His family was in attendance and their celebrations quickly became popular online. He also collected the obligatory post-game shower.
The Giants presumably felt pretty good about Susac’s chances of sticking as a backup to Patrick Bailey. They had the 15th pick in the draft but didn’t want to wait that long. They sent minor leaguer Miguel Caraballo to the Twins so that Minnesota could take him at #4 and then flip him to the Giants.
Susac was the 19th overall pick in the 2022 draft but his minor league performance had been more decent than overwhelming. His defense behind the plate was considered passable. In Triple-A last year, he slashed .275/.349/.483, with that production translating to a 94 wRC+ in the Pacific Coast League. He has performed well since joining his new organization. He hit .350/.386/.550 in spring training and, as mentioned, his big league career is off to a good start in a small sample.
Carter Baumler, Rangers RHP (selected from Orioles by Pirates, traded to Rangers)
Like Susac, Baumler was acquired via trade on Rule 5 day. The Rangers had the 14th pick but sent minor league righty Jaiker Garcia to the Pirates in exchange for Pittsburgh selecting Baumler fifth overall and flipping him to Texas. Baumler didn’t have Susac’s draft pedigree, as he was a fifth-round pick in 2020. However, he had a strong season in 2025, split between High-A and Double-A. He tossed 39 2/3 innings, allowing 2.04 earned runs per nine. His 11.4% walk rate was high but he struck out 29.1% of batters faced.
He earned an Opening Day job with a strong spring, throwing 9 1/3 scoreless innings with ten strikeouts and just two walks. He has thrown 4 2/3 big league innings thus far, with two earned runs allowed. He has five punchouts but has given out six walks and hit one batter. The Rangers don’t have a ton of flexibility in their bullpen at the moment. Robert Garcia and Jacob Latz are the only guys who can be optioned to the minors and Garcia’s not going anywhere. Baumler will presumably need some better control if he is to hang onto his spot.
Ryan Watson, Red Sox RHP (selected from Giants by Athletics, traded to Red Sox)
Once again, we have a team giving up a prospect to effectively move up in the draft. Boston had the 22nd pick but sent infielder Justin Riemer to the Athletics for Watson, after the A’s grabbed him in the #8 spot.
Watson was not really a top prospect. He was a 39th-round pick way back in 2016, before the draft was shortened to 20 rounds. He spent the 2025 season pitching in Triple-A as a 27-year-old and posted a 4.26 ERA. The Sox looked beyond that ERA number, which was posted in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and focused more on his 28.1% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate.
He didn’t have an overwhelming spring performance, tossing 11 1/3 innings, allowing seven earned runs with seven strikeouts. He broke camp with the Sox regardless and has made two big league appearances thus far. He has allowed two earned runs in 3 2/3 innings with three strikeouts but five walks.
Roddery Muñoz, Astros RHP (selected from Reds)
This was a bit of an unusual Rule 5 pick, as Muñoz already had already pitched in the majors in previous seasons. In fact, he had exhausted his three option years from 2023 to 2025. The Reds claimed him off waivers from the Cardinals in November, non-tendered him and then re-signed him to a minor league deal, but then the Astros plucked him away in the Rule 5.
Muñoz had a strong spring, with 16 strikeouts and two walks in 10 innings, though he allowed five earned runs. His two regular season appearances haven’t been as smooth. He does have four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings but has also walked four and thrown two wild pitches. Overall, he has a 6.73 ERA in 96 1/3 career innings.
Peyton Pallette, Guardians RHP (selected from White Sox)
Pallette was a second-round pick in 2022. Initially a starter, he eventually moved to relief with some encouraging results. In 2025, he tossed 64 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A with a 4.06 ERA. His 10.6% walk rate was high but he struck out 32.5% of batters faced.
The Guards brought him into camp and he performed well, firing six scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and three walks. He broke camp and has made two big league appearances thus far, tossing 3 2/3 innings with one earned run allowed. He has struck out three with just one walk, but has also hit a batter and thrown a wild pitch.
Spencer Miles, Blue Jays RHP (selected from Giants)
Miles was a very unusual Rule 5 pick. Drafted in 2022, he barely pitched in the subsequent years due to injuries, including Tommy John surgery. He had exactly 14 2/3 innings of minor league ball on his ledger as of the Rule 5 draft. That would have made him a surprising choice to be taken by any club but it was even more unexpected when he was selected by a club expecting to contend.
Regardless, Miles earned a spot with a decent spring. He tossed 9 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs with 11 strikeouts against five walks. His major league debut was great. On Saturday, he was put into a tied game in the 11th inning. Despite starting with a runner on second, he put up a zero and got the win when the Jays walked it off in the bottom of the frame. His next appearance wasn’t as storybook, as he allowed the Rockies to score three times in an inning and a third.
Cade Winquest, Yankees RHP (selected from Cardinals)
It’s pretty rare for the Yankees to make a pick in the Rule 5 draft and actually keep him. Josh Phelps in 2007 was the last time the Yanks kept a healthy Rule 5 guy on their Opening Day roster. Even that one wasn’t typical, as Phelps made his MLB debut way back in 2000 and already had lots of big league experience.
They decided Winquest was worth breaking that pattern. An eighth-round pick from 2022, Winquest was never really a highly-touted prospect but he had a strong 2025 season. Split between High-A and Double-A, he tossed 106 innings with a 3.99 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate, 8.5% walk rate and 48% ground ball rate. He didn’t have a dominant spring. He tossed 10 innings, allowing eight earned runs with eight strikeouts. He walked four opponents, hit one more and threw one wild pitch. He broke camp with the club but still hasn’t made his major league debut.
Currently On Major League Injured List
RJ Petit, Rockies RHP (selected from Tigers)
The Rockies took Petit with the very first pick in the Rule 5 draft but he required Tommy John surgery a couple of weeks ago. He has already been placed on the 60-day injured list and will stay there for the entire season. There’s no IL in the offseason, so the Rockies will have to put him back on the 40-man if they plan to carry him into the 2027 season. As mentioned up top, the Rule 5 restrictions would carry over until Petit has been active for 90 days.
Matt Pushard, Cardinals (selected from Marlins)
Pushard landed on the 15-day injured list earlier this week due to right knee patellar tendinitis. His timeline is unclear but there’s nothing to indicate the Cards expect a lengthy absence. Last year, he posted a 3.61 ERA in 62 1/3 Triple-A innings, with a 28.5% strikeout rate, 9% walk rate and 43% ground ball rate. He had a solid spring, tossing 8 2/3 innings with three earned runs allowed, nine strikeouts and two walks. He made one regular season appearance before landing on the IL, allowing three earned runs in one inning of work.
DFA Limbo
Jedixson Páez, RHP (selected by White Sox from Red Sox)
The White Sox took Páez with the second pick in the Rule 5 draft. It was going to be a challenge for him to stick with Chicago as he had never pitched at Triple-A or even at the Double-A level. The White Sox broke camp with him but it wasn’t to be. He made three appearances, allowing six earned runs without striking out a batter. He was designated for assignment earlier this week when the Sox added Lucas Sims to the roster. He is still in DFA limbo but could be back with the Red Sox in the coming days.
Returned To Original Organization
Griff McGarry, RHP (returned to Phillies by Nationals)
McGarry was once a notable prospect for the Phillies but some control problems lowered his stock to the point where he was left exposed in the Rule 5. The Nationals took a chance on him but the wildness remained. He faced 27 batters in spring training and walked five of them, an 18.5% clip that’s about double league average. He also hit one more guy, meaning he gave a free pass to first to 22.2% of the opponents he faced in spring. He didn’t break camp, cleared waivers and was returned to the Phils a bit before Opening Day.
Zach McCambley, RHP (returned to Marlins by Phillies)
McCambley posted a 2.90 ERA in the minors last year, striking out 33.1% of batters faced, giving out walks at an 8.8% clip and inducing grounders on 42% of balls in play. The Phils brought him into camp and he only allowed one earned run in 7 1/3 innings, but he gave out six walks while only striking out four. He cleared waivers and was returned to the Marlins before Opening Day.
Alexander Alberto, RHP (returned to Rays by White Sox)
Like the White Sox’ other pick, Alberto was a long-shot due to a lack of upper-level experience. Both he and Páez had never pitched higher than the High-A level. Alberto tossed 6 2/3 spring innings for the Sox, allowing eight earned runs while striking out seven and walking four. He was put on waivers in mid-March, well before Opening Day, and was given back to the Rays.
Photo courtesy of Robert Edwards, Imagn Images
White Sox Designate Rule 5 Pick Jedixson Páez For Assignment
The White Sox announced Wednesday that they’ve designated right-hander Jedixson Páez for assignment, clearing a spot on the roster for veteran reliever Lucas Sims, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Charlotte. Páez was a Rule 5 Draft selection out of the Red Sox organization.
Páez, 22, appeared in three games for the White Sox. He retired the only batter he faced in one of the three, but in each of the other two he was tagged for three earned runs in 1 1/3 innings with a home run allowed and multiple walks. Overall, Páez yielded six runs on four hits (two homers) and three walks without a strikeout in a total of three innings.
It’s not exactly a surprise to see Páez struggle. He’d never pitched above the High-A level when the White Sox scooped him up in December’s Rule 5 Draft, and he was knocked around for eight earned runs in 11 1/3 spring innings.
Chicago understandably was intrigued by Páez despite his lack of upper-level experience. He’s shown plus command in the minors, and he draws average or better grades for both his changeup and slider. Páez sits between 91-92 mph with both his sinker and his four-seamer, so the velocity is below average, but he’s posted terrific numbers up through High-A when healthy and would likely have spent considerable time at Double-A last year, were it not for a partial calf tear that sidelined him for around four months.
Now that he’s been designated for assignment, Páez will be placed on waivers and made available to the 28 clubs other than the White Sox and Red Sox. If another club claims him, he’ll have to go right onto the active roster. Páez’s Rule 5 restrictions would transfer over to that new club, and he would not be able to be optioned to the minors at any point.
If Páez passes through waivers unclaimed, Chicago will have to offer him back to Boston for a nominal sum of $50K. Boston would not need to put Páez on its 40-man roster and could assign him directly to a minor league affiliate (likely Double-A Portland).
The 31-year-old Sims signed a minor league deal over the winter and had a nice spring, firing six shutout innings with three hits, three walks and eight strikeouts. He’s fired one scoreless inning so far in Charlotte.
A veteran of nine partial major league seasons, Sims comes to the South Siders with more than six years of service time. He was a useful middle relief and eventual setup arm at his peak in Cincinnati, pitching to a combined 3.93 ERA in 183 1/3 innings from 2019-23. Sims punched out a hearty 31.9% of opponents in that time but was far too prone to free passes, issuing walks at a 12.2% clip.
Sims collected 39 holds and four saves in 2023-24, but a 2025 stint with the Nationals saw his shaky command erode to untenable levels. Sims walked more than 19% of his opponents (14 of 72) and plunked another seven batters in his short time with the Nats before being cut loose last year.
Blue Jays DFA Leo Jimenez; Rule 5 Pick Spencer Miles To Break Camp
3:05pm: The Jays have officially announced their roster, with both Jiménez and Bastardo designated for assignment.
1:04pm: The Blue Jays are designating infielder Leo Jiménez for assignment, reports Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. He’s out of options and evidently did not win the final spot on Toronto’s bench, which is likely to go to Davis Schneider.
Toronto will carry Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles on the Opening Day roster, reports Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. He won the final spot in the middle relief group, which had seemingly been down to him and sidewinding righty Chase Lee. The Jays announced over the weekend that they would not carry their other Rule 5 selection Angel Bastardo, who’ll therefore be designated for assignment this afternoon if he’s not already on waivers.
Jiménez will probably land with another organization, as it seems likely he’ll attract trade or waiver interest. The Panama native has spent eight seasons in the Toronto system. His bat-to-ball skills and ability to play either middle infield position made him one of the organization’s better prospects. Jiménez has been a good minor league player but hasn’t hit in a limited look at the big league level.
Toronto gave the righty-hitting Jiménez 210 plate appearances as a rookie two seasons ago. He hit .229/.329/.358 while striking out in 28% of his trips. A deeper Jays infield and a handful of injuries kept Jiménez to 18 big league games last season. He didn’t play much in Triple-A either but hit .271/.416/.431 with nearly as many walks as strikeouts at that level in 2024.
Myles Straw, Nathan Lukes and backup catcher Tyler Heineman were locked into bench spots. The Jays were left to decide whether to carry Jiménez because he can play shortstop and couldn’t be optioned, or to turn to a more proven right-handed power bat in Schneider. They’re opting for the latter. Ernie Clement can slide to shortstop with Schneider at second base when Andrés Giménez needs a rest day. The Jays have five days to see if they can flip Jiménez for a marginal prospect return. They’d otherwise need to place him on waivers.
Miles was the final borderline Rule 5 decision around the league. The 25-year-old righty has barely pitched since being drafted by the Giants in the fourth round in 2022. A back injury preceded a Tommy John procedure that has kept him to a grand total of 14 2/3 minor league innings. The Giants left him off their 40-man roster, doubtful that another club would be willing to carry him on the MLB roster with such little professional experience.
It’s particularly surprising that an all-in Toronto team is taking that flier. That speaks to how strongly they feel about the caliber of his stuff, as they’re not in position to burn a bullpen spot on a pure development flier. Miles struck out 11 hitters over 9 2/3 innings this spring, allowing four runs on 11 hits and five walks. Baseball America credits him with a mid-90s fastball and plus curveball and ranked him the #22 prospect in the Jays’ system over the offseason.
Breaking camp certainly doesn’t guarantee that Miles will spend the entire season on the roster. He’ll need to pitch well enough to hold an MLB job. The Jays would otherwise need to run him through waivers and offer him back to San Francisco.
Bastardo was a Rule 5 pick out of the Boston organization in 2024. He was recovering from Tommy John surgery and spent the entire ’25 season on the injured list. Teams need to carry a Rule 5 pick on the active roster for at least 90 days as soon as they’re healthy if they miss their entire first season due to injury. The Jays were never going to carry two Rule 5 draftees in the bullpen.
The 23-year-old Bastardo has far more minor league experience than Miles, but he showed signs of rust this spring. He walked seven batters and uncorked four wild pitches in 7 2/3 innings. He’ll go on waivers and will be offered back to the Red Sox if he clears. The selection still worked to the righty’s benefit financially, as he was paid the $760K major league minimum salary for his time on the injured list.
White Sox To Carry Rule 5 Pick Jedixson Paez On Opening Day Roster
The White Sox have informed Rule 5 draftee Jedixson Paez that he’ll break camp, reports Ari Alexander of Boston 7 News. The 22-year-old righty was the second pick in December’s Rule 5 draft, taken out of the Red Sox’s system.
Chicago was the only club to make two Rule 5 selections this year. Their second pick, Alexander Alberto, didn’t make the team and was offered back to the Rays last week. Paez sticks around despite giving up eight runs across 11 1/3 innings this spring. He recorded 11 strikeouts while allowing 12 hits and issuing five walks.
Paez has never pitched above the High-A level. He’s a development play for a rebuilding White Sox team. It’s rare for a player to have much immediate success when they jump beyond the top two minor league levels. The White Sox figure to pitch him mostly in mop-up situations. They’ll need to carry him on the MLB roster for the entire season to secure his contractual rights.
It’s a difficult challenge, but Paez’s long-term upside intrigues evaluators. Baseball America ranked him the #16 prospect in the Chicago system over the offseason, crediting him with potential plus-plus command. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs wrote in December that Paez had the raw stuff and control to project as a potential #4 starter at his peak, though he faces questions about his durability. He was limited to 19 1/3 innings last season by a calf issue. He has thrown just over 300 innings in his professional career.
Paez is the sixth player from this year’s Rule 5 class who is confirmed to have made their clubs’ active rosters. Carter Baumler (Rangers), Ryan Watson (Red Sox), Matt Pushard (Cardinals), Peyton Pallette (Guardians) and Cade Winquest (Yankees) all made the team. Daniel Susac (Giants) and Roddery Muñoz (Astros) certainly seem to be trending in that direction as well.
Rockies draftee RJ Petit blew out this spring and underwent Tommy John surgery. He’ll be on the injured list all season. Griff McGarry, Zach McCambley and Alberto were all returned to their previous organizations. The only remaining borderline case is Blue Jays righty Spencer Miles, who awaits word on whether he secured the final spot in their season-opening bullpen. Toronto has already announced that 2024 Rule 5 selection Angel Bastardo, who missed all of last year to injury, will not break camp. He’ll be offered back to the Red Sox if he clears waivers.
Nationals Return Rule 5 Pick Griff McGarry To Phillies
March 24th: The Phillies announced that McGarry is back in the organization and has been assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
March 22nd: The Nationals announced today that they’ve designated right-hander Griff McGarry for assignment. The move clears a spot for Jorbit Vivas on the 40-man roster, whose previously reported acquisition from the Yankees is now official. McGarry was the Nationals’ Rule 5 draft pick back in December and now will be available to any of the league’s other clubs who are willing to claim him with Rule 5 stipulations attached. If he goes unclaimed, he must be offered back to the Phillies for $50K. If the Phillies pass on reacquiring McGarry, he can be outrighted off the roster into the Nationals’ farm system.
McGarry, 26, was a fifth-round pick by the Phillies back in 2021 and got some top-100 prospect attention earlier in his career. That was before his career took a turn for the worse in 2023, when he posted an ugly 6.00 ERA in 17 starts thanks to lackluster command. Those command issues caused the organization to move McGarry to the bullpen for the 2024 season, but his already-high 18.5% walk rate from 2023 ballooned to a whopping 24.0% when he moved into a relief role. That led the Phillies to return the right-hander to the rotation for 2025, and he turned in decent numbers across 21 starts, most of which were at the Double-A level. He still walked too many batters, with 13.9% of his opponents getting a free pass, but he managed to make up for that elevated walk rate with a sensational 35.1% strikeout rate.
That improvement was enough for the Nationals to roll the dice on McGarry back in December, but his signature command issues once again resurfaced during Spring Training. While he managed a decent 3.18 ERA in 5 2/3 innings of work, he walked (five) nearly as many batters as he struck out (six) in that time, leaving him with an 18.5% walk rate that would be difficult to justify carrying on a big league roster even for a rebuilding club. With optionable youngsters like Brad Lord and Ken Waldichuk capable of offering multi-inning relief with considerable upside and no Rule 5 restrictions, it’s not necessarily a surprising decision that the Nationals would opt for those arms rather than McGarry as they fill out their roster.
Should he go unclaimed on waivers, his upside is still considerable enough that it would be a surprise if the Phillies didn’t jump at the opportunity to reacquire him and continue his development throughout the 2026 campaign. Of course, it’s not impossible that he could be claimed; after all, McGarry was just the third-overall selection in the draft, meaning a number of teams later in the draft may well have considered drafting him themselves if he had fallen to them. Of course, it’s also a lot easier to draft a Rule 5 pick in December than it is to actually carry that player on their roster come March, so McGarry’s trip through the waiver wire will be one to watch over the coming days.
Yankees To Option Luis Gil; Rule 5 Pick Cade Winquest Makes Roster
The Yankees will option right-hander Luis Gil to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post. They have four off days in the first 12 days of the 2026 season, so they’ll be able to skip the fifth starter spot a couple times. Gil will head to Scranton to continue working on regular rest and will presumably be summoned when the Yanks first need a fifth starter (or if there’s an injury elsewhere in the rotation). Optioning Gil also frees up an extra bullpen spot, which will be filled by Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest, per the Post’s Jon Heyman.
Gil, 27, was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2024 but pitched just 57 innings last year due to a lat strain. He posted a 3.32 ERA during those 57 healthy frames but did so with diminished velocity and strikeout and walk rates that were nowhere close to his 2024 levels. Gil punched out 26.8% of opponents against a 12.1% walk rate in ’24 but fanned only 16.8% of batters faced with a 13.5% walk rate in ’25.
This is Gil’s final minor league option year, although if he’s recalled within the first 20 days of the season, the option won’t technically have to be used. He’s under club control for three more seasons, through 2028, and would need to spend fewer than 99 days on the roster to push that free agent trajectory back by a season. He’s pitched in six games this spring, totaling 19 1/3 innings with a 4.66 ERA and terrific strikeout and walk rates of 29.6% and 6.2%, respectively. However, he’s also been rocked for six homers (2.79 HR/9) in that time, so his command within the strike zone clearly could use a bit of refinement.
As for Winquest, he’ll make his first big league roster after allowing eight earned runs on 13 hits and four walks with eight punchouts in 10 spring innings. He sits 94-96 mph with a heater that tops out around 98 mph. A 2022 eighth-round pick by the Cardinals, he’s worked primarily as a starting pitcher in the minors and should be able to give the Yankees a long relief option as a result. If they manage to navigate the entire season with Winquest on the roster, he’ll become optionable and can give the Yankees an interesting depth option in the rotation or bullpen for years to come.
Prior to Winquest’s selection back in December, it had been more than a decade since the Yankees even made a pick in the Rule 5 Draft, let alone broke camp with said pick on their roster. Technically, the last Yankees Rule 5 pick to survive spring training was righty Brad Meyers back in 2011, though he was on the team’s injured list due to a shoulder issue that popped up during spring training. He missed the entire season and was sent back to the Nationals the next winter. The last Yankees Rule 5 pick to actually play a game was first baseman Josh Phelps, way back in 2007.
It’s only natural that the Yankees, a perpetual win-now club with immense payrolls, hasn’t carried a Rule 5 pick — or even made a Rule 5 selection — since 2011. It’s easier for rebuilding and/or small-market clubs to acquiesce to the roster restrictions inherently associated with Rule 5 pickups. Such clubs have an easier time carrying an inexperienced player who can’t be sent to the minor leagues, and those teams also aren’t likely to fill out the roster with veteran free agents in the same manner as clubs of the Yankees’ ilk.
Rangers Will Carry Rule 5 Pick Carter Baumler On Roster
The Rangers will break camp with Rule 5 right-hander Carter Baumler on the roster. In a unique moment that all fans will want to check out (video link), manager Skip Schumaker made a mound visit last night to inform Baumler he’d made the club mid-game. The entire Rangers infield converged to join in for the delivery and congratulate the 24-year-old on his first call to the big leagues. After his outing, an emotional Baumler told Laura Stickells of the Rangers Sports Network that he was blindsided by the news (video link). Naturally, when Baumler saw Schumaker heading to the mound, he assumed he was being taken out of the game earlier than expected.
“What a special way [to tell me],” Baumler said. “It caught me totally off guard. It was pretty cool. … A few years ago, I never would’ve expected this. Looking back, I’m glad I kept my head down, kept hammering away.”
A fifth-round pick by the Orioles back in the shortened 2020 draft, Baumler signed for an over-slot $1.5MM but has never been touted as a top-tier prospect. That’s in part due to persistent health troubles. He’s already undergone both Tommy John surgery and shoulder surgery in his young career. Between those injuries and the lack of a minor league season in 2020, Baumler pitched only 49 total innings in his first five seasons of pro ball.
In 2025, Baumler tossed 39 2/3 frames between High-A and Double-A. That’s still the highest single-season workload of his career, so the Rangers will be at least somewhat judicious with his usage — even in a bullpen role. Baumler worked to a sparkling 2.o4 ERA with a 29.1% strikeout rate but an 11.4% walk rate last year. He’s been outstanding with Texas this spring, tossing 9 1/3 shutout innings with a 28.6% strikeout rate, a 5.7% walk rate and a 54.5% ground-ball rate.
In order to shed his Rule 5 designation — which prevents him from being optioned to the minors at any point — Baumler will need to stick on the major league roster or injured list all season (including 90 days on the active roster). If he manages to do so, the Rangers will secure full control over the right-hander moving forward. He’d be controllable for five years and have a full slate of three minor league option years thereafter.
If at any point Texas feels the need to go in a different direction, Baumler would need to pass through waivers unclaimed and subsequently be offered back to the Orioles for a nominal sum of $50K. Given the excellent spring results and the fact that the Rangers actually sent a prospect to the Pirates in order to select Baumler for them in the draft, he should have a real chance to stick on the roster.
Baumler will join a revamped Texas bullpen that includes lefties Robert Garcia, Tyler Alexander, Jalen Beeks and Jacob Latz as well as right-handers Chris Martin, Cole Winn and Jakob Junis.
Red Sox Make Several Roster Decisions
The Red Sox’ Opening Day roster is coming into focus. Boston announced this morning that catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper and infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton were optioned to minor league camp. Non-roster catcher Matt Thaiss was also reassigned to minor league camp. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo suggests that Thaiss was not picked up by another club after using his upward mobility clause, so he’ll head to Triple-A Worcester as catching depth. That slate of moves sets the club’s bench with catcher Connor Wong, utilitymen Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio, and outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida.
Neither Wong nor Thaiss had a particularly strong spring, though the latter was the more productive of the two. Wong is already under contract for $1.375MM, however. He struggled through a career-worst season in 2025 but had a productive showing at the plate as recently as 2024 (.280/.333/.425).
Monasterio tops Eaton and Gasper for a bench spot after a strong spring showing: .300/.383/.425 in 47 plate appearances. The Sox picked Monasterio up alongside Caleb Durbin in the trade sending Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan and David Hamilton to the Brewers. He’s played in each of the past three seasons with the Brewers and is coming off a career-best .270/.319/.437 slash in 156 plate appearances in 2025. Monasterio gives the Sox a right-handed bat with experience across all four infield positions.
On the pitching side of things, Rule 5 righty Ryan Watson was informed he has made the team, per WEEI’s Rob Bradford. Left-hander Tyler Samaniego has been optioned to Triple-A, Cotillo reports.
The 28-year-old Watson was selected out of the Giants organization in December’s Rule 5 Draft (by way of a trade with the A’s). He’d posted 50 2/3 innings with a 4.26 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League last year. Watson punched out 28.1% of the opponents he faced in Triple-A, walked only 7% of them and also notched a solid 43.8% grounder rate. He’s had a shaky spring, allowing seven runs on a dozen hits and three walks in 11 2/3 innings (5.56 ERA). He hasn’t missed many bats, either, but the Sox believe in the raw arsenal enough to open the season with Watson locked into a bullpen spot.
As a Rule 5 pick, Watson cannot be optioned to the minors at any point. The Red Sox will need to carry him on the big league roster for the entire season if they want to secure full contractual rights over what would be five additional years of club control. If at any point the Sox remove Watson from the roster, he’ll be placed on outright waivers and made available to every other club before being offered back to the Giants (who would not have to place him on their 40-man roster).