Final Look at the D-backs’ Rule 5 Protection Choices
A full rundown of the Diamondbacks’ Rule 5 protection decisions, including slam-dunk additions, depth considerations, and fringe candidates.
The deadline for teams to add players to their 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft is today. The Arizona Diamondbacks come into the deadline with three open spots. If they add more than three players, they’ll have to remove players from the 40-man roster.
The Rule 5 Draft happens at the end of the Winter Meetings, which will be in Orlando this year. The draft is scheduled for December 10th.
Every year, teams will have the opportunity (for $100K) to select an eligible player to add to their 40-man roster. The order goes by reverse standings, not necessarily by the 2026 MLB Draft order. The player must accrue a full year of service time on his new club, or he must be offered back to his original club for $50K.
The most notable Rule 5 loss in recent memory for the D-backs is right-hander Brad Keller. Keller was left unprotected after the 2017 season and was taken by the Kansas City Royals.
Slam Dunk Additions
LHP Kohl Drake is one of three pitchers the D-backs received from the Texas Rangers for Merrill Kelly. Drake features a five-pitch mix, headlined by a mid-90s fastball, and is a candidate to compete for the fifth starter role next spring. While he likely doesn’t have the inside track to get a spot, he should be near the top of their depth chart.
LHP Mitch Bratt is another pitcher coming from the Kelly deal. Bratt is in the same family as many other lefties in the organization, featuring a command over stuff profile. His fastball is in the low-90s, but he showcases high strikeout and walk rates for his career. He’s not a candidate for a rotation spot, but he’s a candidate for a big league invite for Spring Training and could be a late-season rotation depth piece in 2026.
LHP Spencer Giesting fits the same profile as Bratt, with a tick less velo. He sits 90 MPH on his four-seamer, but features a deep arsenal of pitches (4-seamer, sinker, cutter, sweeper, curveball, changeup). The organization doesn’t feature a lot of starter depth from the left side. I currently have him as the top injury replacement, although that could change if the team makes any rotation additions in the offseason.
Likely Additions
RHP Dylan Ray is an intriguing arm that doesn’t necessarily project into any glamorous role. He sits 92-94 MPH, but can top out at 96 with a slider and a changeup. With the lack of rotation depth, the team can ill-afford to lose even a fringe MLB starter like Ray. He’s a future bullpen conversion candidate once the pitching pipeline and 2027 and 2028 ETA guys (David Hagaman, Ashton Izzi, Patrick Forbes) start banging on the door.
INF Jose Fernandez is not a player to overlook, mainly due to the lack of shortstop depth in the organization. Fernandez is a capable shortstop defender with utility upside, although he’s yet to truly break out with the bat. He’s still more of a projection prospect, as he just turned 22 in September, but he offers enough power potential to continue to develop. Fernandez will likely open 2026 with Triple-A Reno as their starting shortstop.
RHP Alfred Morillo features a 94-97 MPH fastball, a hard slider (87-90), and a spike changeup (91-93). The D-backs need high-velocity arms with swing-and-miss, and Morillo fits that profile. The slider is his best swing-and-miss offering, and its shape plays equally as well to righties and lefties alike. The D-backs sorely need to add more stuff to their bullpen, with Morillo fitting the bill more so than some of the other relievers on the current 40-man.
Potential Additions
OF Kristian Robinson turned in a solid 2025 campaign and earned a promotion to Reno. However, his 40-man clock has previously started and has just two options remaining. He has plus-plus raw power, but has a tendency to hit the top of the baseball too much, preventing him from getting to his carrying tool. He profiles as a fourth outfielder, especially after slashing .288/.403/.483 vs. left-handed pitchers in 2025.
OF Gavin Conticello gives the D-backs a left-handed bat for their outfield. He’s strictly a platoon guy, with a .843 OPS against right-handers vs. .708 against left-handers. I don’t have exit velocity numbers, so I’m not as sure what his power potential will be, but he’s likely ticketed for Reno as well in 2026.
1B Ivan Melendez saw his strikeout rate drop to under 25% in 2025 and showed the ability to use the whole field more consistently. Previously a pull-side fly ball merchant, he’s showing the ability to shrink fields with his 80-grade raw power. The D-backs’ first base situation is far from settled, with Tyler Locklear likely opening 2026 on the injured list, so he still has an opportunity in Arizona.
Other Rule 5 Eligible Players
This is a list of players who are Rule 5 eligible and have played the majority of their 2025 season in Double-A or higher. None of them I project as 40-man roster additions.
C Christian Cerda
RHP Landon Sims
OF A.J. Vukovich
LHP Jake Rice
RHP Billy Corcoran
LHP Avery Short
RHP Luke Albright
UTIL Caleb Roberts
INF Manuel Peña
Most of them I expect to be protected from the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, although the Reno roster will depend on what minor league signings the organization makes later in the offseason.