The Top Rule 5 Draft Picks of the Last Decade: A Retrospective

• MLB
• Mark Canha
• Anthony Santander
• Garrett Whitlock
• Odúbel Herrera
• Brad Keller

"The future of baseball is always in the hands of the up-and-coming players. The Rule 5 Draft is one of the ways we discover these promising talents."

Understanding the Rule 5 Draft

Players first signed at age 18 or younger must be added to 40-man rosters within five seasons, or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 process. Players signed at 19 years or older must be protected within four seasons. Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. If the drafted player doesn't stay on the 26-man roster for the entire season, he must be offered back to his former team for $50,000.

The Top Rule 5 Draft Picks of the Past Decade

Over the past decade (2013-2022), 133 players have been selected in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. While most haven't made a significant big-league impact, some have proven to be solid contributors. The following are the top 10 picks, evaluated based on their production to date (using bWAR) and potential in the future:

1. Mark Canha, OF/1B, DET

Selected by the Rockies (and later traded to the A's) from the Marlins in 2014, Canha has become a significant player. He played nearly every day in his rookie season of 2015, hitting 16 home runs, and had his best season in Oakland in 2019, hitting 26 home runs with a .913 OPS. Canha, who has accrued 4.7 bWAR over the past two years combined, was traded to the Tigers in November.

2. Anthony Santander, OF, BAL

Santander was selected by the Orioles from Cleveland in 2016. After not playing much over his first couple of seasons, Santander has shown consistent power from both sides of the plate in big league games. He hit 33 home runs (2.1 bWAR) in 2022 and added 28 more in 2023, moving him up this list.

3. Garrett Whitlock, RHP, BOS

Whitlock was the No. 4 pick in the 2020 "virtual" Rule 5 Draft. His rookie season in 2021 has been his best, but he's provided valuable innings, both relieving and starting, for the Red Sox over three seasons, even while fighting a hip injury in 2022.

4. Odúbel Herrera, OF, FA

Selected by the Phillies from the Rangers in 2014, Herrera fizzled out after his first two seasons but has the second-highest WAR of those who stuck with big league teams on this list.

5. Brad Keller, RHP, FA

Keller was selected by the Reds (and later traded to the Royals) from the D-backs in 2017. He made a significant contribution in his rookie 2018 season, starting the year in the bullpen and finishing in the Royals rotation.

The list continues with Tyler Wells, Tommy Kahnle, Ryan Noda, Delino DeShields Jr., and Trevor Stephan, all of whom have shown promise and have contributed to their respective teams. The future of baseball lies in the hands of these rising stars, and the Rule 5 Draft continues to be a valuable tool for teams to discover and nurture them.