The Pittsburgh Pirates basically detonated their own 40-man roster to protect six Rule 5-eligible prospects — Esmerlyn Valdez, Wilber Dotel, Brandan Bidois, Jack Brannigan, Tyler Samaniego and Antwone Kelly — just to avoid bleeding out on draft day.
And yet? With the Rule 5 Draft now just a few days away, the Pirates still look like prime targets for other teams licking their chops.
If you want to know which names might sting the most for the Pirates when the Rule 5 card gets slapped down on Dec. 10, start here.
3 Pirates prospects most likely to be poached in Rule 5 Draft
Omar Alfonzo (C)
The Pirates didn’t lose Omar Alfonzo when he was eligible for the Rule 5 Draft last year.