After the Dodgers added Victor Gonzalez to the team’s 40-man roster on Thursday, many questions arose about whether there would be subsequent moves ahead of the Rule 5 draft at this year’s Winter Meetings.
By placing Gonzalez on the 40-man, Los Angeles basically protected the lefty reliever from being snagged by a rival club. As the rules reflect, teams can “protect” their prospects by placing them on their 40-man roster. Eligible players for the draft must have been signed at age 19 or over and have played professionally for four years, or were drafted at age 18 and have played professionally for five years. Once on the 40-man roster, these players are exempt from being drafted, regardless…
