On Tuesday, the Washington Nationals announced their intention to protect prospects Jake Bennett, Christian Franklin, and Riley Cornelio from the Rule-5 Draft. This move by the Nats suggests the front office views these three players as future 40-man roster candidates. Each of these prospects could contribute at the Major League level, but they are at different stages of development.
Jake Bennett
Jake Bennett is a left-handed pitcher from the University of Oklahoma. Standing at 6-foot-6, 234 pounds, Bennett is currently the Nats' tenth-ranked prospect in the minor league system. He was selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft and had an excellent debut season in 2023.