As a roster, Rule 5 Draft comes with a new task decision.....

As a roster, Rule 5 Draft comes with a new task decision…..

Teams have until 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday to set their 40-man rosters and protect players from the Rule 5 Draft, which will be held on Dec. 6 at the Winter Meetings. We’ve tracked every organization’s ranked prospects who are Rule 5-eligible here.

There are six Top 100 Prospects who require protection, starting with Rockies middle infielder Adael Amador (No. 21), and they’re all virtual locks to join 40-man rosters before the deadline. But a lot of decisions won’t be nearly that easy.

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We identify a tough call for every organization below. In most cases we chose a ranked prospect, though in some instances we opted for a player who stood out in the Arizona Fall League, which just concluded its season.

American League East

Blue Jays: C.J. Van Eyk, RHP (unranked on Blue Jays Top 30)
A 2020 second-round pick out of Florida State, Van Eyk had Tommy John surgery in September 2021, missed all of 2022 and worked just 34 1/3 innings this summer. But he showed one of the best curveballs in the AFL, where he logged a 2.51 ERA and struck out three batters with three different pitches in an inning of work in the Fall Stars Game.

Orioles: Hudson Haskin, OF (No. 17)
The Orioles’ second-round pick in 2020, Haskin did reach Triple-A this past season, but also played in just 33 games because of first a hamstring injury and then a hip impingement that required surgery. There are some tools here, with some power and speed, but to date he’s shown only glimpses of that potential while struggling to stay healthy. Given the Orioles system’s outfield depth, this could be a tough one.

Rays: Heriberto Hernandez, OF (No. 18)
Acquired from the Rangers as part of the Nathaniel Lowe trade in December 2020, Hernandez has some of the best power and exit velocities in the Rays system. But he also hit just .249/.376/.411 with 13 homers as a 23-year-old in Double-A and doesn’t offer much defensive value.

Red Sox: Allan Castro, OF (No. 30)
A switch-hitter with good bat-to-ball skills and a sound approach at the plate, Castro signed for $100,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2019. Still just 20, he might be more of a tweener than a regular and hit .261/.368/.405 with 19 steals at two Class A stops, so the Red Sox probably can sneak him through the Rule 5 Draft.

Yankees: Elijah Dunham, OF (No. 30)
Dunham quickly became an organization favorite after signing as a nondrafted free agent in 2020 out of Indiana and was the Arizona Fall League’s breakout player of the year in 2021. He doesn’t have a better than average tool, however, and batted .227/.330/.389 with 16 homers and 35 steals between Double-A and Triple-A.

American League Central

Guardians: Dayan Frias, INF (No. 25)
Thanks to his quick hands, Frias is one of the best and most versatile defenders in the Guardians’ system. Signed for $80,000 out of Colombia in 2018, he hit .260/.356/.426 with 11 homers in High-A and could be left unprotected because Cleveland has other infield prospects with higher offensive ceilings.

Royals: Devin Mann, INF/OF (No. 27)
Part of a package from the Dodgers for Ryan Yarbrough at the Trade Deadline, Mann is 26 and doesn’t have a standout tool. On the flip side, he played all four infield positions as well as left field while batting .276/.387/.502 with 20 homers in Triple-A.

Tigers: Keider Montero, RHP (No. 26)
Montero went unselected in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Rule 5 Drafts but is coming off the best season of the career, leading the Minors with 15 wins while compiling a 4.66 ERA with 160 strikeouts in 127 1/3 innings and advancing to Triple-A. A $40,000 sign out of Venezuela in 2016, he operates with a 92-95 mph fastball, a high-spin curveball and a solid slider