Tuesday's Rule 5 protection deadline passed quietly for Kansas City Royals fans. Not unexpectedly, the club shielded pitchers Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac from the December 10 Rule 5 Draft by adding them to the club's 40-man roster.
But Tuesday's two-player move didn't end Kansas City's Rule 5 suspense. Instead, it threw the local speculation door wide open — with the protection decision made, the question becomes who among their many players still exposed to the draft the Royals might lose.
Here are three of the most familiar prospects the club placed in jeopardy by leaving them unprotected.