The Giants added three prospects to the 40-man roster in order to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.
Outfielder Heliot Ramos, as well as pitchers Sean Hjelle and Randy Rodriguez were elevated to San Francisco’s 40-man roster. To make room for them, SF returned 2020 Rule 5 selection Dedniel Núñez to the New York Mets and designated Jay Jackson for assignment.
Not every prospect is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club’s 40-Man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons. Those selected in the Rule 5 draft must remain on the selecting team’s big-league roster for the entire season or be offered back to their original organization for a fee; that’s where Núñez factors in.
Ramos appears to be the most clear-cut decision San Francisco had to make. The Giants’ No. 4 prospect appears close to big-league ready despite modest performance in the minors last year. He slashed .254/.323/.416 with 14 HR and 15 stolen bases for the River Cats and in Double-A ball.
Hjelle is expected to contribute in the Giants’ rotation in some capacity in 2022. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said recently the 6-foot-11 lefty will likely make starts in San Francisco.
Rodriguez, a reliever with a high-90s fastball and plus slider, is the type of player that’s been popular in previous Rule 5 Drafts. The right-handed pitcher recorded a 1.74 ERA with a 101:23 strikeout to walk ratio in the minors this year.
After designating Jackson for assignment and returning Núñez — who was placed on the 60-day IL with a UCL sprain in March — to the Mets, the Giants have a full 40-man roster. That doesn’t mean more trades and signings aren’t coming.
The biggest surprise is the Giants not protecting pitcher Seth Corry, the No. 11 prospect in their farm. Corry struggled in high-A ball last season, but the 22-year-old southpaw has the stuff to make him a promising talent. Clubs will now be able to select Corry in the Rule 5 Draft.
The Athletic’s Melissa Lockard considered Corry a lock to be protected.
Outfielder Diego Rincones and catcher Ricardo Genovés were also candidates to be protected. Genovés is SF’s 18th-ranked prospect and could’ve been seen as extra insurance in the post-Buster Posey era.
Corry, Rincones and Genovés remain in the organization and won’t necessarily get selected in the Rule 5 Draft. Eighteen players were selected in the Major League portion of last year’s Rule 5 Draft, including contributors Akil Badoo and Garrett Whitlock.
This year’s Rule 5 Draft is scheduled for Dec. 8, but could be postponed in the increasingly likely event of a lockout.