Eligible for the Rule 5 Draft - Fall 2018

[And That]

Here are the players the Brewers did not protect from the AAA phase of the Rule 5 draft - they can be selected by any other team for $24,000 and their new team inherits the remainder of the current minor league contract:

 

[ClosetBrewerFan]

So the Brewers AAA roster is at 30. Per Cots, the AAA roster can have up to 38 players on it. What is the downside to filling up the roster further? I presume you need to have spots open in order to pick players in the AAA phase of the Rule 5, but 8 would seem to be excessive. I see no requirement that the players have to stay at the AAA level; the Brewers can reassign at will in the minors after the draft.

 

Not that these are great prospects or anything, but a guy like Luna, Owenby, Ortega, or Kuntz could have value. It does not say too much about what the Brewers think of these guys. I believe it is rare that a player selected in the minor league phase of the draft turns out to be something but it can happen. Justin Bour in was selected by the Marlins from the AA Cubs roster and has had an impact in the major leagues.

[clancyphile]

So the Brewers AAA roster is at 30. Per Cots, the AAA roster can have up to 38 players on it. What is the downside to filling up the roster further? I presume you need to have spots open in order to pick players in the AAA phase of the Rule 5, but 8 would seem to be excessive. I see no requirement that the players have to stay at the AAA level; the Brewers can reassign at will in the minors after the draft.

 

Not that these are great prospects or anything, but a guy like Luna, Owenby, Ortega, or Kuntz could have value. It does not say too much about what the Brewers think of these guys. I believe it is rare that a player selected in the minor league phase of the draft turns out to be something but it can happen. Justin Bour in was selected by the Marlins from the AA Cubs roster and has had an impact in the major leagues.

 

Owenby, who I had rated highly, seemed to have vanished. Ortega missed a lot of time with TJ, and 2019 is a bit of a "prove it" year for him. His control was still there, but he got hammered.

 

I see the minor-league Rule 5 as a way to find some gems. The Crew had a lot of unsigned picks in the 2018 draft... this could help fill their minor-league rosters.

[CheeseheadInQC]

Most of the names on the unprotected list have either missed most of all of two seasons with injuries, struggled last year and were on the fringes of the roster or both. That makes Kuntz' name stand out. It seems like he would have made either the AA or AAA roster, but then I guess there haven't been many minor league free agent signings yet either.

 

That he made the cut is probably a vote of confidence for Spurlin, who could have slotted in with the injured on the unprotected list, as well as Preston Gainey (still have foolish hope there).

[clancyphile]

Most of the names on the unprotected list have either missed most of all of two seasons with injuries, struggled last year and were on the fringes of the roster or both. That makes Kuntz' name stand out. It seems like he would have made either the AA or AAA roster, but then I guess there haven't been many minor league free agent signings yet either.

 

That he made the cut is probably a vote of confidence for Spurlin, who could have slotted in with the injured on the unprotected list, as well as Preston Gainey (still have foolish hope there).

 

Kuntz is pretty old for the Southern League - he's 26, I think.

[Roderick]

You can draft as many players in the Rule 5 as you have open 40-man spots. You can clear 40-man space up to the day of the draft.

 

Seems to me if the Brewers knew they were going to drop Lyles and Cedeno, they should have protected Olczak.

 

I sure hope no one takes him, as I can see him being on the AAA up and down shuttle next year with Houser+. A couple of months of seasoning in AAA and the Brewers will have figured out if Albers and whatever other retread(s) they sign to try in the pen are going to work out or not. I guess Wilkerson can be the low leverage inning eater.

 

Albers?, Barnes, Houser, Jeffress, Hader, Knebel, Williams, Guerra. Need one more, minimum.

[And That]

I am a little surprised that Olczak wasn't protected, but his upside is that of a solid reliever, not necessarily a high-leverage guy. He has an above average curve but his fastball isn't a plus pitch at his point and his command needs work. Solid reliever upside doesn't usually profile as something you'd spend a Rule 5 pick on.

[brewmann04]

the rule 5 draft should be fun to see if the Brewers add someone have to figure it be an Arm

[Outlander]

Jonathan Mayo did a little write up ahead of the Rule 5 Draft this Thursday and listed 10 players to watch for. Included in those 10 were Jake Gatewood and Jon Olczak of the Brewers.

https://www.mlb.com/news/top-names-to-watch-ahead-of-the-rule-5-draft/c-301683078

[reillymcshane]

I'm betting someone snags Olczak. At worst, they give him a long look in spring training. A non-playoff team can afford to let him take some lumps.

[clancyphile]

I'm betting someone snags Olczak. At worst, they give him a long look in spring training. A non-playoff team can afford to let him take some lumps.

 

I can't fathom the Crew not protecting him. Let Cedeno/Jennings go to free up the spot, but this was just poor roster management.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm betting someone snags Olczak. At worst, they give him a long look in spring training. A non-playoff team can afford to let him take some lumps.

 

I can't fathom the Crew not protecting him. Let Cedeno/Jennings go to free up the spot, but this was just poor roster management.

 

They obviously have a plan, whether it's signing free agents, making trades or taking a Rule 5 guy of their own to fill up their 40-man roster. Olczak is a marginal relief prospect. He may eventually turn into something, but there's probably a lot better chance that he won't.

[LouisEly]

I am a little surprised that Olczak wasn't protected, but his upside is that of a solid reliever, not necessarily a high-leverage guy. He has an above average curve but his fastball isn't a plus pitch at his point and his command needs work. Solid reliever upside doesn't usually profile as something you'd spend a Rule 5 pick on.

Depends. I look at the Mets and see a team that just needs a 3B and a couple of bullpen arms to be a legitimate contender. Picking up a reliever might be right in their wheelhouse.

[brewmann04]

I think DS has someone he looking at in rule 5

[Smichaelis9]

This is somebody I think the Brewers will (or should) look at for their pick. Similar type of pitcher to some we’ve had recently, but there’s something there. Had a great 2017, rocky 2018 but he reached AA. Stuff is there and it’s nasty. Needs refinement but this could be a risk worth taking in my opinion.

[Eye Black]

Reminder that speculation of who the Brewers might select is on going in this Transaction Rumors Forum Thread.

[Mass Haas]

Draft at 11:00 AM Central today --

 

SAN ANTONIO:

 

RHP Tristan Archer

RHP Bubba Derby

C Tuffy Gosewisch

RHP Deolis Guerra

INF Jake Hager

UT Nate Orf

LHP Quintin-Torres-Costa

RHP Dan Reynolds

 

BILOXI:

 

IF Blake Allemand

SS Luis Aviles, Jr.

1B Jake Gatewood

RHP Preston Gainey

RHP Nate Griep

RHP Conor Harber

LHP Brad Kuntz

C Max McDowell

RHP Jon Olczak

RHP Cody Ponce

RHP Tyler Spurlin

OF Dillon Thomas

 

CAROLINA:

 

RHP Rodrigo Benoit

RHP Phil Bickford

RHP Nattino Diplan

LHP Jake Drossner

RHP Alec Kenilvort

LHP Nathan Kirby

IF Tucker Neuhaus

RHP Jorge Ortega

LHP Drake Owenby

LHP Angel Perdomo

RHP Wuilder Rodriguez

OF Joantgel Segovia

LHP Christian Trent

RHP Josh Uhen

RHP Devin Williams

 

WISCONSIN:

 

C Jeyner Baez

OF Jay Feliciano

RHP Nelson Hernandez

RHP Carlos Herrera

RHP Christian Meister

RHP Michael Petersen

OF Nic Pierre

 

COLORADO SPRINGS / MARYVALE:

 

RHP Jesus Brea

RHP Carlos Luna

IF Julio Mendez

[Lathund]

My prediction is that the Brewers pick noone, and that no Brewer gets picked. Olczak is the only one I could really see being taken, possibly another arm to stash in the pen somewhere but I can't really see it. If anyone else gets taken then there's another team out there really thinking outside the box, or willing to tank hard.

[JDBrewCrew]

The Brewer Nation

@BrewerNation

12s12 seconds ago

#Brewers pass during the MLB portion of the Rule 5 Draft.

[Outlander]

Nobody from Milwaukee was taken in the major league phase.

[KeithStone53151]

Looks like Brewers took Julio Garcia. To me, seems like an excellent glove that can't hit. Not a bad depth guy for the system.

 

Edit - AAA phase.

[MrTPlush]

The Brewer Nation

@BrewerNation

12s12 seconds ago

#Brewers pass during the MLB portion of the Rule 5 Draft.

 

Pretty obvious move right there.

[sveumrules]

I'm betting someone snags Olczak. At worst, they give him a long look in spring training. A non-playoff team can afford to let him take some lumps.

 

I can't fathom the Crew not protecting him. Let Cedeno/Jennings go to free up the spot, but this was just poor roster management.

 

Does it still qualify as poor roster management now that Olczak wasn't selected or is it possible Stearns & company just had the market accurately gauged all along?

[reillymcshane]

I'm betting someone snags Olczak. At worst, they give him a long look in spring training. A non-playoff team can afford to let him take some lumps.

 

I can't fathom the Crew not protecting him. Let Cedeno/Jennings go to free up the spot, but this was just poor roster management.

 

Does it still qualify as poor roster management now that Olczak wasn't selected or is it possible Stearns & company just had the market accurately gauged all along?

Every year we go through this with the Rule 5 draft. We fret over losing a specific player or three, and in the end, nothing usually (I stress usually) happens.

 

I think every fan overvalues their own guys. They get swayed that Player A is really good due to some reason or another, and are convinced the rest of the world sees how good the player is as well. Truth is, these guys are fringe players - at best. Every team has their share of them. And in the end, the situation really just has to be right for a team to be willing to keep these guys on a roster all season. It doesn't mean you don't go after these guys, as there are always diamonds in the rough, but no point in putting time and money and energy into a guy that isn't likely to make your roster.

[CheeseheadInQC]

Every year we go through this with the Rule 5 draft. We fret over losing a specific player or three, and in the end, nothing usually (I stress usually) happens.

 

I think every fan overvalues their own guys. They get swayed that Player A is really good due to some reason or another, and are convinced the rest of the world sees how good the player is as well. Truth is, these guys are fringe players - at best. Every team has their share of them. And in the end, the situation really just has to be right for a team to be willing to keep these guys on a roster all season. It doesn't mean you don't go after these guys, as there are always diamonds in the rough, but no point in putting time and money and energy into a guy that isn't likely to make your roster.

 

Yah, I was convinced for two years running that Tyler Cravy was going to be picked. While I haven't looked closely enough to see this year, generally there are types that go, especially among pitchers (the loogy, the 100 mph guy, the massive K rate/massive walk rate guy) and Olczak (or the guy I was a bit concerned about, Harber) didn't really fit neatly into any of them.