The 2018 Rule 5 draft won’t take place until Dec. 13, but an important deadline is coming up tomorrow. On Tuesday, teams must choose which of their eligible prospects to protect by adding them to the 40-man roster.
If you’re not familiar with the Rule 5 draft, then here’s a brief description. If a prospect has been in the minors for a few years but hasn’t made it to the 40-man roster, then he can be stolen away by another team, with the caveat that the new club must keep him on their 25-man roster for the entire next season.