Two Chicago Cubs Among Rule 5 Draft Top Prospects
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MLB's Rule 5 Draft occurs Wednesday, Dec 7 at 4 p.m. CST. For a team like the Chicago Cubs, who finished in the cellar of the National League in 2022, it should be an exciting time.
For those unfamiliar with the Rule 5 Draft, it provides a chance for undesired prospects to shine on teams most frequently in the second-division. All prospects not on the 40-man roster are eligible for selection if they've been in the minor leagues for five season if they signed at 18 years of age or younger, or spent four seasons in the minors if signed at 19 years of age or older.
The catch: a player selected in the Rule 5 Draft must remain on a club's active roster throughout the course of the following season. If a player must be cast off, they are returned to their old club.
The Cubs have adequately protected the talent at the top of their minor league system. Top prospect Brennan Davis was added to the 40-man roster on Nov. 15, while Pete-Crow Armstrong, and others, are ineligible.
Left unprotected however, are two fire-balling relievers Yovanny Cruz and Danis Correa. Both made Baseball America's top 45 Rule 5 prospects list.
Now age-23, Cruz has never played in the upper minors. Between the pandemic and a 2021 UCL tear, he's pitched only 13.2 professional innings since 2019. But his fastball sits comfortably at 98-99 mph, and has on occasion flashed 101 mph.
He pairs his heater with a "tight" mid-80s mph slider.
The right-handed reliever would be a risky pick for any team given his lacking experience, but Cruz's high-velocity means his upside may be too enticing for competitors to overlook.
Fellow Cubs prospect and right-handed reliever Davis Correa also falls on Baseball America's list.
With notably more experience in recent years, Correa has less upside, but a higher floor. He pitched 40.0 innings for Double-A Tennessee in 2022 to a 2.93 ERA before an August promotion to Triple-A Iowa.
Though his strikeout-rate ballooned to 13.0 in 16.2 innings, he struggled with command, and the long ball; his ERA increased too, to 3.65 across all levels by the end of 2022.
Correa's time in the Mexican Pacific League this winter is encouraging. With a 1.35 ERA on 13.2 innings pitched, he's further crept onto Major League radars, but his continued lack of command may push potential suitors away. His BB/9 still rests at 4.7 in winter league action.
Looking ahead at the Cubs prospective bullpen for 2023, they should strive to retain as many relief options as possible. Besides Brandon Hughes, they have very few reliable options currently rostered.
The Cubs only have 36 players on their 40-man roster. Should they choose to do so, they have room to take a flyer.
But buyer beware, a Rule 5 selection would leave only three slots open for free agents on the Cubs' 40-man roster, and given their current position Chicago is in position to make a bigger splash.
Since the Cubs finished 74-88 in 2022, they'll have the 11th selection. Though trading picks is not permitted, they may select higher ranking talent and trade him to an interested team further down the draft board.
It would be a prudent move for a savvy front office.
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