The Rule 5 Draft takes place at 12:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12 and is one of the final big events of the annual Winter Meetings.
The Rule 5 Draft exists to prevent teams from hoarding top players in their minor league systems while other teams would be willing to give them an opportunity to compete on their major league clubs.
Players are eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft who are not on their major league organization’s 40-man roster and:
were 18 or younger on the June 5 preceding their signing and this is the fifth Rule 5 draft upcoming; or
were 19 or older on the June 5 preceding their signing and this is the fourth Rule 5 draft upcoming.