The Rule 5 Draft is always a gamble. Last year, the Cincinnati Reds selected Connor Joe, an infielder who failed to make the 25-man roster. This year, the Reds selected outfielder Mark Payton from the Oakland Athletics organization. Payton will have to fend off several other players in order to make the 2020 Opening Day roster.
The Rule 5 Draft offers teams the opportunity to select a player from an opposing team, provided certain criteria are met. Typically, the player has several years of experience in the minor leagues, but has yet to realize his potential enough to breakthrough at the major league level.