Generally followed by only the hardcore-est of the hardcore, the Rule 5 draft has been a bigger point of emphasis in recent years as transactions at the Winter Meetings have slowed. The draft has three phases- the major league phase, the Triple-A phase and the Double-A phase- and players are eligible to be selected if they have been playing pro ball for four years if signed after their 19th birthday, or five years if signed before, and are not currently on their parent club’s 40-man roster. Players selected in the major league phase come with a $100,000 transaction fee and must remain on their new team’s 25-man roster throughout the entirety of the upcoming season, or they must be offered back to the team they were selected from.
Rule 5 Fever: Astros Lose Three, Pick One in Thursday’s Action
