There’s one day left for this year’s edition of the winter meetings, which can only mean one thing: it’s almost Rule 5 Draft time. With the league having done away with its August waiver trade deadline, the Rule 5 Draft stands as the most esoteric piece of the MLB calendar. What does it mean for a player to be selected? Who’s even eligible to be taken? It’s all a bit of a puzzle, one that involves each team solving their own particular 40-man roster conundrums.
Any player who signed with their team prior to turning 19 must be added to the 40-man roster within five years of signing, or else become eligible for the Rule 5.