In a typical offseason, the Rule 5 Draft might make small headlines with teams legally stealing prospects from each other. In the 2021-2022 offseason, with a lockout that’s not likely to end anytime soon (on top of the Rockies inaction in free agency and the trade market), it’s worthy of a little more space, even if it’s only the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft.
In Wednesday’s Minor League Rule 5 Draft, the Rockies gained one player, LHP Gabriel Rodriquez, from the Braves, while losing LHP Zack Matson and outfielder Walking Cabrera. While most transactions are frozen with MLB locking out the MLB Players Association, minor leaguers, for cruel and unusual reasons, don’t count since they are not in the union.