2014 Rule 5 Protection & The 40-Man Roster - Jungmann, Rivera, Strong, Goforth Added

[Mass Haas]

NOTE: The initial post in this thread is up-to-date. Posts have been made since this thread's August inception, you are free to read those below. Additional comments starting on November 19th, the eve before these decisions must be made, begin here.

***

 

Not to be confused with our Brewer Minor League Free Agency Eligibles After the 2014 Season Thread, this thread focuses on those players who will be eligible to be selected in December 11th's Rule 5 Draft, and considers who Milwaukee should add to the 40-man roster to protect. (We earlier anticipated that SS Hector Gomez would be the only player listed in the free-agent eligible thread to be added. C Shawn Zarraga signed a minor league extension, as did RHP's Tim Dillard and Manny Barreda and IF Taylor Green)

 

Last year the Brewers added the following four players:

 

RHP Brooks Hall

1B Hunter Morris

1B Jason Rogers (since converted to 3B/1B)

RHP Kevin Shackelford (since removed from the 40-man and subsequently traded to Reds)

 

Unlike 2013, when the Brewers added five players to the 40-man roster during the season, only Hector Gomez was added during the course of the 2014 season.

 

Remember --

 

Players who signed when 18 or younger are eligible for the draft after five years.

Players who signed when 19 or older are eligible after four years.

 

According to the rules, it's how old a player was on the June 5th immediately preceeding his signing.

 

Below are the players not eligible for free agency, but who would be Rule 5 eligible if not placed on the 40-man roster.

 

If a player is italicized, it's the first year the Brewers have to consider the player.

 

The others, not italicized, were eligible to be plucked last year but weren't.

 

Players listed alphabetically within level:

 

Current AAA Players --

LHP Nick Additon

RHP Jaye Chapman

RHP Tyler Cravy

RHP Tim Dillard

RHP John Ely

OF/1B Sean Halton

OF Jeremy Hermida

RHP Kyle Heckathorn

RHP Taylor Jungmann - Added to 40-man roster

LHP Brent Leach

RHP Eric Marzec

RHP Wirfin Obispo

IF Pete Orr

RHP Ariel Pena

C Adam Weisenburger

 

Current AA Players --

RHP Jacob Barnes

RHP Manny Barreda

LHP Jed Bradley

OF Kentrail Davis

OF Josh Fellhauer

RHP Drew Gagnon

RHP David Goforth - Added to 40-man roster

IF Taylor Green

RHP Greg Holle

RHP Casey Medlen

RHP Andy Moye

OF/IF Josh Prince (release announced on 11/12)

1B Nick Ramirez

OF D'Vontrey Richardson

SS Yadiel Rivera - Added to 40-man roster

RHP Austin Ross

2B Nick Shaw

IF Hainley Statia

LHP Mike Strong - Added to 40-man roster

RHP Tommy Toledo

IF/OF Shea Vucinich (release announced on 11/12)

C Shawn Zarraga

 

Current A-Level (or below) players --

C Parker Berberet

C Cameron Garfield

RHP Milton Gomez

RHP Seth Harvey

OF Dionis Hinojosa (release announced on 11/12)

2B Greg Hopkins (release announced on 11/12)

3B Brandon Macias

C Connor Narron

C Rafael Neda

C Leudi Otano

OF Jose Pena

LHP Stephen Peterson

RHP Chad Pierce (retired in October)

RHP Junior Rincon

RHP Chad Thompson

LHP Max Walla (release announced on 11/12)

RHP Mark Williams

 

UPDATED: The following players never filed retirement papers formally and remain Brewers property. Technically, they will appear on the Brewers' Rule 5 eligible list to other clubs, although the Brewers may be releasing some of these players shortly. If so, those releases would appear on Baseball America's weekly summary list.

 

LHP Brandol Perez, RHP's Jameson Dunn, Osmel Perez, Matt Miller, Rolando Pascual, INF's Andres Martinez, Michael Marseco, Brent Brewer, OF Ronny Puello, C Carlos Pena

[Mass Haas]

November 20th is the date by which players must be added to the 40-man for Rule 5 protection.

 

This year, the roster is at 36 (as of November 5th). And who knows the status of LHP Miguel De Los Santos, the waiver claim from the Rangers who is still apparently in the midst of visa-related restricted list purgatory, and is still listed on the Brewers' official roster page.

 

***

 

Since we're always asked, here's info from two years ago, the numbers may have bumped up since then --

 

"Players in the minor leagues make $32,500 in their first year on the 40-man roster, $67,300 in their second year, and $97,500 in their third year. Any player with major league service time makes at least $67,300, regardless of how many years of service."

[Mass Haas]

Barring a re-sign with the Brewers, players who will be major league free agents --

 

LHP Zach Duke

LHP Tom Gorzelanny

1B Lyle Overbay

1B/3B Mark Reynolds

RHP Francisco Rodriguez

2B Rickie Weeks

[Mass Haas]

(Originally posted in August, now amended later in this thread...)

 

More thoughts than predictions, but please add your own:

 

Automatic 100% - RHP Taylor Jungmann, SS Yadiel Rivera, RHP David Goforth

 

Bypassed last year, unlikely to be left unprotected again - RHP Tyler Cravy

 

Don't be surprised if -- C Adam Weisenburger, LHP Jed Bradley

 

So I'm going with six additions this year.

 

***

 

Here's a link to my 2013 predictions, along with all of yours who posted. I did nail this part :

 

Don't be surprised if -- RHP Brooks Hall, RHP Kevin Shackelford

 

***

 

So please add your own now.

[Mass Haas]

Couple of quick notes -- we have asked the Brewers to verify the accuracy of the list in the initial post above, we'll adjust as necessary, although we believe we're very close if not 100%. Until the Brewers do, if you believe something is listed in error, let us know, thanks.

 

Also, we'll obtain the list of those who are still technically Brewers' rights, but are on some sort of restricted status for not filing retirement paperwork and such. We added that to the list last year and will do so again for you later this week.

[nate82]

I think the Brewers will remove Hunter Morris from the 40 man especially with the year that he had this year as I don't see why a team would even take a gamble on him.

 

Players to be added to the 40 man include: Taylor Jungmann, Yadiel Rivera, Tyler Cravy, Jed Bradley, David Goforth, and Adam Weisenburger. So that is 6 spots with Weeks, Duke/Gorzelanny, Overbay, Reynolds, and Rodriguez gone plus the removal of Morris from the 40 man. If Ramirez declines his option I am not sure the Brewers will be able to retain him so if that happens the Brewers should be at 41 with Henderson and Thornburg?

 

Other possible removals: Hiram Burgos, Johnny Hellweg, and Jeff Bianchi

 

By the way when did Ariel Pena get added to the 40 man? It is showing that he is on the 40 man roster on the Brewers page.

[Mass Haas]

Pena was on the Angels' 40-man as of his acquisition.

[guylanderfridancies]

RHP Tyler Cravy - Would've should've could've been Southern League pitcher of the year, hell he maybe could've got called up to the bigs this year if he didn't get hurt. Unless the Brewers don't want him, I doubt they leave him unprotected.

RHP Kyle Heckathorn - Kind of regressed this year. Could be a variety of factors. Hard to say whether or not the crew is going to add him, but I doubt anyone is willing to 25-man him.

RHP Taylor Jungmann - Gotta add him to the 40. His time is coming, whether he's ready or not is gonna be interesting to see.

RHP Eric Marzec - This guys been an interesting story since he got drafted 30th round '10.. remember when they gave him a couple appearances in AAA in 2011? His AAA sample size this year has been good so far. He just falls in to the same thing with Heckathorn for me though, in that I don't see any team in the Bigs willing to throw him on the 25 man. But you never know.

C Adam Weisenburger - Harder to teach pure catching excellence than good hitting. Weisenburger is like a pure-bread golden-retriever..puppy.. You know it's a real special, smart, quality dog; Burger just needs to sharpen the bat, and with Lucroy ahead of him I think he'll have adequate time. I wouldn't doubt some desperate organization would be willing to 25-man him, therefore the Brewers can ill-afford to leave him unprotected.

 

Current AA Players --

 

RHP Jacob Barnes - Doubtful 25-man interest.

LHP Jed Bradley - A 6'4 lefty who's far ahead of Wang IMO. Probably not a good idea to leave him unprotected.

OF Kentrail Davis - Doubtful 25-man interest.

OF Josh Fellhauer - Doubtful 25-man interest.

RHP Drew Gagnon - Was killing the southern league up until rather recently, if he would've went the whole year strong, maybe kept ERA under 3, they might feel the threat of someone willing to add him. But it's looking doubtful.

RHP David Goforth - Depending on what the Crew is planning to do about the "closer" situation in Milwaukee. I don't exactly see anyone 25-manning Goforth, but I don't see us not adding him to the 40.

RHP Greg Holle - Pretty solid year. Hard to say. But doubtful.

RHP Casey Medlen - Doubtful 25-man interest.

RHP Andy Moye - Doubtful 25-man interest.

OF/IF Josh Prince - Doubtful 25-man interest.

1B Nick Ramirez - Doubtful 25-man interest. But if he has a good showing in the AFL anything can happen.

SS Yadiel Rivera - Glove hasn't been too smooth in Huntsville. Doubtful 25-man interest.

RHP Austin Ross - Doubtful 25-man interest.

RHP Kevin Shackelford - Confused at this one last year cause I felt he was more of a thrower than a pitcher. Doubtful 25-man interest.

2B Nick Shaw - Doubtful 25-man interest.

LHP Mike Strong - Doubtful 25-man interest.

RHP Tommy Toledo - Doubtful 25-man interest.

IF/OF Shea Vucinich - Doubtful 25-man interest.

 

Everyone else has doubtful 25-man interest, but the Brewers with Wang have proven you never know *** a team will take interest in. Can't wait to see how it unfolds.

[DHonks]

Hunter Morris will likely be outrighted to AAA.

 

given his VERY strong numbers at every stop AND left-handedness, I would consider promoting Mike Strong in September to see if his stuff is worth being on the 40-man roster next year. Now that he's in AA, he's a rule 5 candidate.

 

Tommy Toledo could be a candidate had good numbers till this year. Was it a stuff issue or injury?

 

I'd like to have Prince, Rivera, and Shaw back for AA/AAA depth. All three can play SS with Prince and Shaw are OBP machines.

[djoctagone]

Of course, there are also non-tender and/or DFA candidates, of which only Marco Estrada would be an impact salary-structure wise, but several spots could be freed up via that route.

gerardo parra stands to make quite a bit of money in 2015 if the brewers tender him a contract.

[LouisEly]

Mass, great work as always (who says you are running on fumes?) and thanks for putting this up. Maybe it is the fumes, but you have Shackleford italicized above - I believe italicized means it is his first year eligible, and Shackleford was on the 40-man for the Rule 5 last year, so that means he should not be italicized, right?

 

I've got (in order, depending on slots available) Jungmann, Bradley, Cravy, Goforth, Strong, Weisenburger, Rivera, Zarraga.

 

Darkhorse - Medlen

[Mass Haas]

The initial post has been verified by the Brewers - one glaring mistake, we overlooked former 40-man roster member Sean Halton (apologies, Sean), and the list of restricted players has been added to the bottom of the post.

[Mass Haas]

As per Baseball America's Matt Eddy, LHP Jed Bradley was 2nd among all minor league starting pitchers in ground ball/fly ball ratio in 2014 at 2.72.

[And That]

Yah, I think Bradley is almost as much of a lock as Jungmann. The Brewers wouldn't risk losing a recent first rounder that still has a good to decent chance of seeing the big leagues.

 

Cravy and Goforth both probably get added. Rivera, too, though I don't think he's a lock. The bat isn't there yet and the glove is great but inconsistent. How would you use him in the regular season? Perhaps a team without much MIF depth would take a shot, but I have my doubts.

 

Weisenberger maybe, but Pagnozzi's callup may indicate otherwise.

 

Tommy Toledo would be my darkhorse.

[TheCrew07]

Who would have thought on draft day 2011 that neither 1st rounder would have been included in rule 5 talk because they weren't on the 40 man yet?

[brewmann04]

I can't see them not adding a First Rounder Lefty like Bradley. PS i was curious wasn't Tom G signed a two year Deal?

[brewmann04]

PS i almost forgot THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR KEEPING US INFORMED ABOUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM

[MoreTrife]

Thanks mass, informative post.

[Mass Haas]

Updated our minor league option tracking after reading this tweet from Derek.

[Mass Haas]

Lyle Overbay:

 

"I'm 99.9 percent sure that I'm going to call it a career, I'm pretty close to 100 percent that I'm going to retire"

[jerichoholicninja]

Lyle Overbay:

 

"I'm 99.9 percent sure that I'm going to call it a career, I'm pretty close to 100 percent that I'm going to retire"

 

[sarcasm]Next Brewers manager?[/sarcasm]

[JohnBriggs12]

Lyle Overbay:

 

"I'm 99.9 percent sure that I'm going to call it a career, I'm pretty close to 100 percent that I'm going to retire"

 

Translation: "If I thought there was a team out there willing to give me another $1.5 or $2 million to continue playing I would, but the Brewers were the only team interested last year and I can't imagine they want me back so what other option is there?"

[Mass Haas]

Translation: "If I thought there was a team out there willing to give me another $1.5 or $2 million to continue playing I would, but the Brewers were the only team interested last year and I can't imagine they want me back so what other option is there?"

 

Career earnings -- $36,347,000

 

The guy turns 38 in January and has five kids.

 

Sometimes we just have to say congratulations on a nice career.

[Mass Haas]

Name to watch --

 

With limited Huntsville media coverage and a July 17th acquisition date, we didn't hear much about longtime Yankee farmhand RHP Manny Barreda, but agent Josh Kusnick tells us he was at 98 MPH and that the Brewers may choose to add him to the 40-man to keep him from minor league free agency.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Do we know why the Yankees let him go? His numbers were good for them this year and if its true he throwing 98, it does not make sense.