The LA Angels opted to keep Yan over names like Jose Rojas, who is a fan favorite amongst Angels faithful. Yan also had never made it past the lower levels of the minors, while Rojas was a legitimate option to call up to the MLB club last season. In theory, it would make more sense to protect Rojas. But yet, the Angels opted for Yan.
And while it ultimately didn’t matter – the Angels didn’t lose any talent in the major league portion of the Rule 5 Draft – the team’s protection of Yan showed just how confident the Angels are in the southpaw’s ability to make an impact at the MLB level.