Detroit Tigers: Rule 5 Draft Names to Know

The Detroit Tigers pick third in this year’s Rule 5 Draft. Who should they target, and are they in danger of losing any prospects?

Rogelio kicked off our Rule 5 Draft coverage last week with a post on Rangers right-handed pitching prospect Alex Speas, and Dan Hasty followed up with a post of five interesting options.

This post will serve as a kind of home base for our coverage. Right now it’s little more than a list of available players from each club, most of whom are simply interesting names rather than realistic options. In time we’ll continue to fill in reports on players who may actually get taken in the draft.

We also pointed out the relative silliness of covering the Rule 5 Draft in our recent post about players the Detroit Tigers should protect. It’s extremely rare to find even average players in the Rule 5 Draft, let alone impact talent. But we cover it anyway, because garage sales are fun.

In any normal Rule 5 Draft we could all but guarantee the Detroit Tigers will draft someone. It’s been seven years since a team with a top-three pick in the Rule 5 Draft chose not to select a player. And even if the Tigers don’t see someone they like, their pick is still an asset. They can work out a deal, select a player the other team wants, and then complete a trade.

But of course this isn’t a normal Rule 5 Draft. With Covid-19 scuttling the minor-league season it’s even harder for teams to project players with a potential big-league future. Teams have access to summer camp data, but they are mostly flying blind and relying on scouting reports from 2019.

It wouldn’t shock us if most teams sit out this Rule 5 Draft, but if the Detroit Tigers do decide to take the plunge, here are some players to know from practically every team.

Rule 5 Targets

Arizona Diamondbacks

Jose Herrera – C – Switch-hitting backstop with decent defensive ability and strong on-base skills.

Drew Ellis – 3B/1B/LF – Former 2nd rounder from Louisville has above-average pop and good patience, but a questionable hit tool and limited defensive utility.

Junior Garcia – LHP – Reliever with a high arm slot, a quality breaking ball, and good K numbers.

Mack Lemieux – LHP – Converted starter with three pitches and a 33.5% K-rate in the bullpen.

Atlanta Braves

Thomas Burrows – LHP – College closer who looks like a low-slot lefty specialist in pro ball.

Baltimore Orioles

Mason McCoy – SS – Gamer type with below-average pop and fringe skills across the board.

Brenan Hanifee – RHP – Sinker/slider specialist with average stuff but an ideal frame.

Cody Sedlock – RHP – Former 1st rounder with pedestrian stuff and an injury history.

Ofelky Peralta – RHP – Reliever with a plus fastball but below-average secondaries and poor command.

Cameron Bishop – LHP – Stalled starter could find life as a lefty reliever with above-average velo.

Zach Pop – RHP – Reliever with upper-90s sinker and above-average slider, but Tommy John surgery in mid 2019.

Boston Red Sox

Johnny Pereda – C – Decent defensive catcher with solid on-base skills but very little power.

Josh Ockimey – 1B – Low average with Ks, BBs, and HRs, but not quite enough power.

Michael Gettys – OF – Toolshed with irredeemable approach. Was available as a Free Agent.

Alex Scherff – RHP – Touted Texas prep arm touches the mid-90s but has just 6 innings above Low-A.

Joan Martinez – RHP – Reliever with upper-90s FB, slider that flashes above-average, and poor control.

Chicago Cubs

Trent Giambrone – 2B – Potentially useful bench bat with surprising pop.

Aramis Ademan – SS – Once touted prospect struggles to hit, has very little pop, and glove has regressed.

Brendon Little – LHP – Former first rounder with interesting fastball/curve mix but poor control.

Dakota Mekkes – RHP – Massive reliever with quality stuff but well below-average command.

Chicago White Sox

Alec Hansen – RHP – One-time college star with a big arm and no control.

Cincinnati Reds

T.J. Friedl – OF – Speedy 4th outfielder type with patience but little power.

Mac Sceroler – RHP – Decent fastball/changeup and pounds the zone but hasn’t seen Double-A.

Cleveland Indians

Will Benson – OF – Large, athletic man with immense power but severe contact issues.

Luis Oviedo – RHP – Just 21 but has quality stuff and lots of projection. Hasn’t been above Low-A.

Colorado Rockies

Vince Fernandez – OF – Lefty corner bat with power but a recent PED suspension.

Riley Pint – RHP – Former first rounder with golden arm but he has never thrown strikes.

Mike Nikorak – RHP – Like Pint but less stuff, a year older, and a TJ on his resume.

Detroit Tigers

Cole Peterson – SS – Elite defensive shortstop with bottom-of-the-scale power.

Jacob Robson – OF – Well-rounded player with a grooved swing but 5th OF potential.

Logan Shore – RHP – Lacks velo but boasts a quality changeup and solid command.

Elvin Rodriguez – RHP – Undersized with an average arsenal but decent feel for pitching.

Nolan Blackwood – RHP – Funky side-arm slinger with fringy stuff.

Jason Foley – RHP – High-octane fastball with questionable secondaries and a TJ in 2018.

Will Vest – RHP – Fastball reaches mid-90s and breaking ball flashes average.

Wladimir Pinto – RHP – Fastball in the upper 90s but bad command and secondaries.

Houston Astros

Ronnie Dawson – OF – Productive college bat with solid tools but severe contact issues.

Jose Alberto Rivera – RHP – Fastball touches triple-digits and has usable secondaries. Hasn’t seen High-A yet.

Willy Collado – RHP – Side-armer with fringe stuff but still 22 and had success at Double-A.

Kansas City Royals

Kevin Merrell – 2B/UTIL – Elite runner with versatility but very little power.

Brewer Hicklen – OF – Impressive athlete with speed and power but raw and no experience above High-A.

Los Angeles Angels

Brennon Lund – OF – 4th outfielder type with decent tools and approach but bat is light.

Orlando Martinez – OF – Cuban lefty bat with average tools but no experience above High-A.

Packy Naughton – LHP – Lefty with an average fastball, plus changeup, and a year at Double-A

Oliver Ortega – RHP – Fastball/Curveball mix fits with modern pitching design.

Jose Soriano – RHP – Big arm currently recovering from TJ surgery in February.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Omar Estevez – 2B – Quality gap hitter who played well in Double-A. Profiled here.

Cody Thomas – OF – Athletic lefty bat with the tools to fit in RF, but still raw despite being 26.

Jeren Kendall – OF – Former first rounder with big tools but limited feel to hit.

Carlos Rincon – OF – Power hitter with approach problems.

Marshall Kasowski – RHP – Good fastball/curveball combo with deceptive delivery.

Brett de Geus – RHP – Big-armed reliever. Profiled here.

Jordan Sheffield – RHP – Reliever with nasty stuff but equally nasty control.

Milwaukee Brewers

Payton Henry – C – Backstop with interesting tools. Profiled here.

Lucas Erceg – 3B/P – Corner bat with pop but contact issues. Big arm could play on the mound.

Cooper Hummel – OF/C – Left-fielder with power, patience, and 80 games behind the dish.

Zack Brown – RHP – Once touted arm with middle-relief stuff and a full year at Triple A.

Minnesota Twins

Caleb Hamilton – C/UTIL – Defense-first backstop with some strength and versatility.

Jose Miranda – 3B/2B – Aggressive hitter with great contact skills but below-average power and defense.

Akil Baddoo – OF – Probable left fielder with interesting power, speed, and patience, but contact issues.

Gabriel Maciel – OF – Slap-and-dash switch hitter with some leadoff traits but no power.

Griffin Jax – RHP – Average stuff but the command to potentially make it work.

Luis Rijo – RHP – Hasn’t been above Low-A but shows impressive command of a plus breaking ball.

New York Mets

Shervyen Newton – SS – Tooled up shortstop in Low-A. Might hit .100 in the big leagues.

Will Toffey – 3B – Contact skills, patience, and a big arm, but lacks ideal power.

New York Yankees

Chris Gittens – 1B – Nearly 27 but shows patience and has huge power.

Oswaldo Cabrera – 2B/UTIL – Switch-hitter with well-rounded tools and solid performance in High-A.

Kyle Holder – SS – Former first rounder is a plus defender but lacks offensive punch.

Trevor Stephan – RHP – Potential relief arm with the chance for a plus fastball/slider combo.

Garrett Whitlock – RHP – Stuff of a backend starter but had Tommy John in 2019.

Oakland Athletics

Buddy Reed – OF – Toolsy OF with hit issues. Profiled here.

Lazaro Armenteros – OF – Once highly touted, Lazarito still has plus tools but his approach is awful.

Parker Dunshee – RHP – Broad arsenal of average stuff and solid command. Fifth starter potential.

Brian Howard – RHP – Similar to Dunshee except gigantic (6’9).

Eric Marinez – RHP – Converted infielder with mid-90s heat.

Philadelphia Phillies

Enyel De Los Santos – RHP – Average stuff but MLB experience. Profiled here.

Rodolfo Duran – C – Smallish catcher with average defensive tools and usable power.

Simon Muzziotti – OF – Talented hitter with speed who lacks power projection.

David Parkinson – LHP – Changeup heavy southpaw with some feel and command.

Julian Garcia – RHP – interesting 3 pitch mix with average velo but elite spin.

Francisco Morales – RHP –  Plus FB/SL mix but command issues, and hasn’t been out of Low-A.

Kyle Young – LHP – Enormous (6’10) lefty who locates but lacks desired velo.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Lolo Sanchez – OF – Still just 21 and shows good speed and contact ability, but well below-average game power.

Braeden Ogle – LHP – Potential lefty specialist with a plus FB and average slider.

San Diego Padres

Esteury Ruiz – 2B/OF – Owns power and speed but also a poor approach and defensive questions.

Eguy Rosario – 2B/3B – Utility infielder with average tools across the board.

Tirso Ornelas – OF – Good size with corner OF tools but very raw and struggled at High-A.

Lake Bachar – RHP – Average fastball but breaking balls flash better. Solid starter in Double-A, may play better in relief.

Evan Miller – RHP – Solid Fastball/Slider mix with a history of strike throwing.

San Francisco Giants

Ricardo Genoves – C – Hasn’t been out of Low-A but he’s big and strong with good tools.

Jalen Miller – 2B – Tools all range from fringe-average to above-average, but aggressive approach hurts.

Raffi Vizcaino – RHP – Reliever with three quality offerings but poor command.

Seattle Mariners

Jose Godoy – C – Lefty backstop who makes contact and has solid defensive tools.

Luis Liberato – OF – Speedy OF with some pop and experience at Double-A.

Raymond Kerr – LHP – Athletic lefty sits in the mid-90s but has control issues.

St. Louis Cardinals

Connor Capel – OF – Lefty platoon type with tools but not a ton of production above Low-A.

Juan Yepez – UTIL – Shows above-average raw power and played all four corners in 2019.

Tampa Bay Rays

Tristan Gray – 1B/2B – Lefty with pop and patience, but fringe contact skills and stretched at second.

Garrett Whitley – OF – Former first rounder with plus speed, power, and patience, but huge contact issues.

Joel Peguero – RHP – Big fastball/slider combo, but no experience above A ball.

Texas Rangers

Diosbel Arias – 2B/Util – Cuban-born contact specialist with middling tools but nice versatility.

Alex Speas – RHP – Huge arm but little experience. Profiled here.

Joe Barlow – RHP – Classic FB/CB reliever with control issues.

Kelvin Gonzalez – RHP – Reliever shows three solid pitches but hasn’t been above Low-A.

Toronto Blue Jays

Logan Warmouth – 2B/UTIL – Pop-up first rounder in 2017 has never shown power in pro ball.

Kevin Smith – SS/UTIL – Power & speed but low contact rates and might fit best at 2B.

Chavez Young – OF – Switch-hitter with average tools across the board, 4th OF type.

Curtis Taylor – RHP – Tall reliever with strong FB/SL mix and 75+ IP at Double-A.