2012 Rule 5 Draft

The Rule 5 draft took place today at the annual winter meeting of the general managers. The eligible pool of players are not on the 40 man roster of a team and were signed at the age of 19 and have been in the organization for four years or were signed at the age of 18 or younger and have been in the organization for five years. Each drafted player costs $50,000 and must remain on the 25 man roster of the drafting team the entire season or be offered back to the original team at half price. Like the regular draft the order starts with the team with the worst record and proceeds to the team with the best. It is the hope of each team that they land the next Josh Hamilton or Johan Santana both former rule 5 draftees.

The Houston Astros started off the draft by selecting RHP Josh Fields from the Boston Red Sox. He split 2012 between Double A Portland and Triple A Pawtucket and was 3-3 with a 2.62 ERA, 59 K, 1.03 WHIP, 8 SV in 44.2 IP over 32 games at Portland and was 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 19 K, 0.73 WHIP, 4 SV in 10 games at Pawtucket. He was originally drafted by the Mariners with the 20th pick of the first round in 2008. Fields turned 27 on August 19.

The Chicago Cubs selected RHP Hector Rondon from the Cleveland Indians. He split 2012 between rookie ball and Double A Akron after returning from elbow surgery. He was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 6 K, 0.33 WHIP in 3.0 IP over 2 games at Rookie ball and was 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA, 3 K, 1.25 WHIP in 4.0 IP over 2 games at Akron. He originally signed with the Indians as an amateur free agent in 2004 out of Venezuela. Rondon will be 25 on February 26.

The Colorado Rockies selected LHP Daniel Rosenbaum from the Washington Nationals. He pitched 2012 with Double A Harrisburg and was 8-10 with a 3.94 ERA, 99 K, 1.31 WHIP in 155.1 IP over 26 games. He was originally drafted by the Nationals in the 22nd round in 2009. Rosenbaum turned 25 on October 10.

The Minnesota Twins selected RHP Ryan Pressly from the Boston Red Sox. He split 2012 between Class A Advanced Salem and Double A Portland and was 5-3 with a 6.28 ERA, 61 K, 1.47 WHIP in 76.0 IP over 20 games at Salem and was 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA, 21 K, 1.19 WHIP in 27.2 IP over 14 games at Portland. He was originally drafted by the Red Sox in the 11th round in 2007. Pressly will be 24 on December 15.

The Cleveland Indians selected first baseman Chris McGuiness from the Texas Rangers. He played 2012 at Double A Frisco and hit .268/.366/.474 with 23 HR, 77 RBI, 65 R, 0 SB in 123 games. He was originally drafted by the Red Sox in the 13th round in 2009. McGuiness turned 24 on April 11.

The Miami Marlins selected outfielder Alfredo Silverio from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Silverio missed the 2012 due to injuries from an auto accident. In 2011 he played at Double A Chattanooga and hit .306/.340/.542 with 16 HR, 85 RBI, 90 R, 11 SB in 132 games. He originally signed with the Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 2003 out of the Dominican Republic. Silverio turned 25 on May 6th.

The Boston Red Sox selected second baseman Jeff Kobernus from the Washington Nationals. n 2012 he played for  Double A Harrisburg and hit .282/.325/.333 with 1 HR, 19 RBI, 41 R, 42 SB in 82 games. He was originally drafted by the Nationals in the second round in 2009. Kobernus turned 24 on June 30.

The New York Mets selected LHP Kyle Lobstein from the Tampa Bay Rays. He pitched 2012 with Double A Montgomery and was 8-7 with a 4.06 ERA, 129 K, 1.45 WHIP in 144.0 IP over 27 games. He was originally drafted by the Rays in the second round in 2008. Lobstein turned 23 on August 12. 

The Arizona Diamondbacks selected RHP Starling Peralta from the Chicago Cubs. He pitched 2012 with Class A Peoria and was 5-8 with a 3.44 ERA, 86 K, 1.23 WHIP in 99.1 IP over 20 games. He originally signed with the Cubs as an amateur free agent in 2008 out of the Dominican Republic. Peralta turned 22 on November 11.

The Philadelphia Phillies selected outfielder Ender Inciarte from the Arizona Diamondbacks. He split 2012 between Class A South Bend and Class A Advanced Visalia and hit .293/.375/.422 with 1 HR, 30 RBI, 36 R, 18 SB in 65 games at South Bend and hit .319/.377/.419 with 1 HR, 17 RBI, 46 R, 28 SB in 62 games at Visalia. He originally signed with the Diamondbacks as an amateur free agent in 2008 out of the Dominican Republic. Inciante turned 22 on October 29.

The Chicago White Sox selected 2B\SS Angel Sanchez from the Los Angeles Angels. Sanchez signed with the Angels in October after playing 2012 with the Houston Astros Triple A team Oklahoma City. He hit .320/.390/.407 with 5 HR, 45 RBI, 48 R, 7 SB in 107 games. He was originally drafted by the Royals in the 11th round in 2001. Sanchez turned 29 on September 20.

The Baltimore Orioles selected LHP T. J. McFarland from the Cleveland Indians. He split 2012 between Double A Akron and Triple A Columbus and was 8-2 with a 2.69 ERA, 41 K, 1.21 WHIP in 60.1 IP over 10 games at Akron and was 8-6 with a 4.82 ERA, 55 K, 1.41 WHIP in 102.2 IP over 17 games with Columbus. He was originally drafted by the Indians in the fourth round in 2007. McFarland turned 23 on June 8th.

The Texas Rangers selected RHP Coty Woods from the Colorado Rockies. He split 2012 between Double A Tulsa and Triple A Colorado Springs and was 3-2 with a 0.76 ERA, 34 K, 0.95 WHIP, 16 SV in 35.2 IP over 38 games at Tulsa and was 1-2 with a 7.40 ERA, 13 K, 2.18 WHIP, 11 SV in 20.2 IP over 23 games at Colorado Springs. He was originally drafted by the Rockies in the 33rd round in 2009. Woods turned 24 on March 14.

The Houston Astros selected first baseman Nate Freiman from the San Diego Padres. He played 2012 at Double A San Antonio and hit .298/.370/.502 with 24 HR, 105 RBI, 80 R, 0 SB in 137 games. He was originally drafted by the Padres in the eighth round in 2009. Freiman will be 26 on December 31.

The Miami Marlins selected LHP Braulio Lara from the Tampa Bay Rays. He pitched 2012 with Class A Advanced Charlotte and was 6-10 with a 5.71 ERA, 82 K, 1.62 WHIP in 112.0 IP over 25 games. He originally signed with the Rays as an amateur free agent in 2008 out of the Dominican Republic. Lara will be 24 on December 20.