2010 MLB Rule 5 Draft

The MLB Rule 5 Draft is the last order of business at the MLB WINTER MEETINGS, and it is a mechanism that allows MLB clubs to select (draft) players off minor league Reserve Lists. There is a "Major League Phase" where MLB clubs can draft players off AAA Reserve Lists for $50,000, a "AAA Phase" where AAA Affiliates can draft players off AA rosters for $12,000, and finally a "AA Phase" where AA clubs can draft players off the reserve lists of Class "A" clubs for $4,000.

RULE 5 DRAFT ELIGIBILITY

A minor league player who was 18 or younger on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract is eligible for selection starting with the 5th Rule 5 Draft after he signs, and a minor league player who was 19 years or older on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract becomes eligible for selection starting with the 4th Rule 5 Draft that followed his signing. (If a player signs his first contract after August 31st or after the minor league club to which the player is initially assigned has completed its regular season schedule, the next season is considered to be the player's "first season" for Rule 5 eligibility purposes). In addition, any player on a minor league reserve list who has been outrighted to the minors and/or released previously in his career is eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft. Also, an MLB club can designate any player on a minor league reserve list eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft even if the player would not normally be eligible, but once a player is made eligible for selection, he remains eligible for selection in all future Rule 5 drafts.

CUBS ELIGIBLE FOR DECEMBER 2010 RULE 5 DRAFT
James Adduci, OF
Adrian Aviles, OF-LHP
Austin Bibens-Dirkx, RHP
Ryan Buchter, LHP
Kyler Burke, OF
Matt Camp, IF-OF
Marco Carrillo, RHP
Hung-Wen Chen, RHP
Steve Clevenger, C-1B
Willson Contreras, INF
Manolin DeLeon, RHP
Marwin Gonzalez, IF-OF
Jose Guevara, C
Angel Guzman, RHP
Chris Huseby, OF (ex-RHP)
Dylan Johnston, RHP (ex-OF)
Bryan Lahair, 1B
Blake Lalli, 1B-C
Casey Lambert, LHP
Jordan Latham, RHP
Antoni Lugo, 3B
Alessandro Maestri, RHP
Oswaldo Martinez, RHP
J. R. Mathes, LHP
Scott Moore, INF
Ronny Morla, RHP
Jonathan Mota, INF
Craig Muschko, RHP
Jake Muyco, RHP
Jeremy Papelbon, LHP
Mike Parisi, RHP
Blake Parker, RHP
David Patton, RHP
Andres Quezada, RHP
Alvaro Ramirez, OF
Scott Rice, LHP
Chris Robinson, C
Nate Samson, INF
Bobby Scales, IF-OF
Chris Siegfried, LHP
Marquez Smith, 3B
Brad Snyder, OF
Luke Sommer, LHP
Alvaro Sosa, RHP (ex-C)
Matt Spencer, 1B
Larry Suarez, RHP
Tony Thomas, 2B
Jose Valdez, OF
Ty Wright, OF

RULE 5 DRAFT RESTRICTIONS

1. A club must have as many spots open on its MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) prior to the Rule 5 Draft as the number of players it selects in the Major League Phase.

2. A player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft can be traded at any time, but the player cannot be released or non-tendered until he is given a "full trial" in Spring Training, and he cannot be outrighted to the minors any earlier than 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day.

3. A player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft must remain on an MLB Active List (or MLB 15-day or 60-day Disabled List) for the entire MLB regular season following selection, and must spend at least 90 days on an MLB Active List (25-man roster) before Rule 5 restrictions are removed. (If time spent on an MLB Active List is less than 90 days in the season following selection, the player remains a Rule 5 player into the next season, and the player continues to be a Rule 5 player until he has spent 90 days total on an MLB Active List).

4. If a club decides not to keep a player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 draft on its MLB 25-man Active List (or MLB 15-day or 60-day Disabled List), the player must be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers, where any of the other 29 MLB clubs can claim the player for the $25,000 Rule 5 waiver price and assume the Rule 5 obligations.

5. If the Rule 5 player is not claimed off Outright Waivers, the player then must be offered back to the club from which he was drafted, and the player's former club can reclaim the player for $25,000, with the player being automatically outrighted to the AAA club from which he was drafted. If he has at least three years of MLB Service Time and/or has been outrighted previously in his career, the player can elect to be an MLB Article XX-D minor league free-agent after being outrighted (he has three days to decide if he is outrighted during the MLB regular season, and he has a week to decide if he is outrighted during Spring Training), or he can accept the Outright Assignment and defer the right to be a minor league free-agent under MLB Article XX-D until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season. (The player is not eligible to be an Article XX-D minor league free-agent if he accepts the Outright Assignment and then is subsequently added back to an MLB Reserve List prior to the end of the MLB regular season).

6. If the player's original club declines to reclaim the player, the Rule 5 restrictions are removed, the drafting club retains the player, and the player can be sent to the minors.

7. A player selected in the AAA or AA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft must be assigned to the Reserve List of the AAA or AA club that drafted the player, and the player must be given a "fair trial" in Spring Training (Minor League Camp) with that AAA or AA club, but the player can be assigned to any minor league affiliate in the MLB parent club's organization once the minor league regular season commences. Also, unlike players selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft, a player selected in the AAA or AA Phase of the Rule 5 Draft does not have to be offered back to the club from which he was drafted if the player is ultimately assigned to a lower level minor league club after being given his "fair trial" in Spring Training (Minor League Camp).