Tuesday evening, the deadline to protect eligible prospects from the Rule 5 Draft came and went. The Atlanta Braves were quiet. Zero of the four eligible players, Right-hander Blake Burkhalter, right-hander Ian Mejia, third baseman David McCabe and right-hander Elison Joseph, were protected. None were put on the 40-man roster.
Next month, one of them could be claimed by another team and added to their active roster. Let’s take a look at what this decision means for the team and the players involved.
Braves are Willing to Roll the Dice
The Braves didn’t feel an urgency to use open spots on the 40-man roster to protect them. It’s a sign that they don’t view these prospects as Major League-ready, or close enough to Major League-ready, that they’re willing to find out if other teams feel the same.
According to the Braves’ official 40-man roster on the MLB.com website, there are 37 players already on it. Twenty-three of them are pitchers. Those spots could go to free-agent additions or players that come in trades.
Players can be removed from the 40-man roster if needed. However, with few spots still open and there being a need to add this offseason, the Braves likely decided they didn’t want to have to force themselves to subtract others by adding players now.
Even if they are claimed, that doesn’t guarantee they are lost forever. The Braves took two players last year, Christian Cairo and Anderson Pilar, and both were returned to their original teams during Spring Training. That could happen with those they potentially lose in a month.
It Doesn’t Mean These Prospects Aren’t Valuable (to Braves or Another Team)
It’s all a strategy game here. The Rule 5 draft is about picking up players you think will benefit your team’s active roster. One day, the Braves could decide they could. Then, they’ll purchase their contracts and call them up.
These could still be prospects wanted by other teams. It’s all about whether or not someone wants them in the Majors immediately. If a team that needs pitching or a third baseman were able to acquire them and then develop them further in Triple-A, they’d be more willing to make a move.
Other Prospects Could Ultimately Use 40-Man Spots
Talking about the use of the few spots on the 40-man roster that they have. Keep in mind that other prospects could take precedence. It’s expected that No. 2 prospect JR Ritchie will see action in the Majors this upcoming season. That’ll require him to the 40-man, which in turn will likely mean someone is removed.
If the Braves are going to make the effort to make those moves, Ritchie is first in line. I’m willing to guess that No. 12 prospect Lucas Bruan is ahead of them after some promising starts in Triple-A. The other four unprotected prospects are not.
