MLB Rule 5 Draft: 10 names to watch, including former Florida star and a Clayton Kershaw impersonator

Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings are here and that means that it's time to focus on what really matters this offseason. No, no, not the notable free agents and trade candidates. We're talking about the Rule 5 Draft, of course. This year's version will take place on Wednesday, the day after MLB's Draft Lottery. Unlike its amateur counterpart, the Rule 5 Draft's selection order is not subjected to a lottery or provisions that penalize repeaters. Instead, the Colorado Rockies, owners of the worst 2025 record, will get to make the first pick, with the rest of the order proceeding according to inverted winning percentage.

The Rule 5 Draft is a mechanism that protects against talent hoarding. Teams have only so many years after signing a player before they have to add them to the 40-player roster. Eligible players who are left unprotected can be selected by other teams at a cost, though those players must then remain on their new team's 26-player major-league roster for the duration of the season. (There are injury exceptions and teams can always trade for a player's rights.)

For an idea of the kind of players who can be found in the typical Rule 5 draft class, just consider that last year's field produced White Sox pitcher Shane Smith (who became the second player ever to make the All-Star Game in their Rule 5 draft year) and Marlins catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks. Who are the most notable players in this year's crop? Here are 10 that you should be familiar with ahead of Wednesday's draft.

1. Jud Fabian, OF, Orioles

Fabian is undoubtedly the most famous player on this list. He was twice selected in the top two rounds of the draft out of Florida, first rejecting the Red Sox's advances in 2021 before joining the Orioles the following summer. The book on him remains largely the same. Fabian is a wrong-way player (he throws lefty and bats righty) who provides power, patience, and outfield defense, yet who significantly undercuts his total value by striking out at ghastly rates. It's fair to wonder if there's any hope of his offensive game working in the majors, in large part because it hasn't even worked to a league-average level in Triple-A. But in a world where Alexander Canario received more than 200 plate appearances last season, it's probably not out of the question that someone pops Fabian and finds out. Will he be selected? No

2. Griff McGarry, RHP, Phillies

McGarry is the pitching version of Fabian. There's undeniable talent here, but it's overshadowed by unreliable usability. He spent most of last season in Double-A, a step back from the year before, and all you need to know about this performance is that he walked nearly 15% of the batters he faced. McGarry has quality stuff, including a heater that sits in the mid-90s and a nasty sweeper, so if he ever unlocks a little more command he's going to be a force coming out of some team's bullpen. Will he be selected? Probably not

3. Blake Burkhalter, RHP, Braves

Burkhalter was a collegiate reliever who converted to the rotation in 2024 after he returned from Tommy John surgery. He was then ushered back to the bullpen upon reaching Triple-A this past season, making it tempting to think of him as a pitcher without a home. To these eyes, that's a fair assessment. His arsenal, built around vertical movement, grades out as largely average: there's a low- to mid-90s fastball, a cutter, a curve, and an attempt at a splitter or a kick-change. Burkhalter's delivery has long limited his command projections (and, indeed, he walked four batters per nine innings in 2025), but unlike most wild things he doesn't miss a ton of bats. Maybe a team will view him as a utility arm who can contribute as needed. You can understand why the Braves didn't protect him. Will he be selected? Yes

4. Frank Mozzicato, LHP, Royals

Mozzicato turbocharged his stock late in the 2021 draft cycle by throwing four consecutive no-hitters to end his prep career. He also struck out 17 batters in the state championship game while recording three hits of his own. The Royals, who chose him at No. 7, were enamored by his feel for a quality curveball and his immense projectability (in addition to being one of the youngest players in the class, his angular frame suggested he'd add muscle and velocity over time). Four and a half years later, Mozzicato has failed to deliver on that promise. His stuff hasn't ticked up and neither has his command, as he issued 53 free passes across 56 Double-A innings. Mozzicato is one of the most recognizable names on this list, but there's little reason for teams to entertain picking him. Will he be selected? No

5. Benny Montgomery, OF, Rockies

Montgomery, the player selected right after Mozzicato in the 2021 Draft, is another familiar name who hasn't fared well as a professional. He spent last season in Double-A, hitting .201/.274/.263 for a club that collectively batted .229/.313/.347. Montgomery has a massive hitch in his swing, dropping his hands from helmet to chest level before lifting them again. So much of mechanical analysis is dictated by results: it works if it works and it doesn't if it doesn't. You can guess the verdict here. He, too, won't be selected. Will he be selected? No

6. Matt Pushard, RHP, Marlins

Pushard celebrated his 28th birthday in October, making him the oldest player on this list -- blame that on the fact he didn't turn professional (as an undrafted free agent) until just before his 25th birthday. Pushard, a Maine native, could be on the cusp of making his big-league debut if he's selected this week. His arsenal includes a mid-90s fastball and a couple of average or better breaking balls. It doesn't take much of an imagination to envision him slotting in as a middle relief option. Will he be selected? Yes

7. Josh Kasevich, INF, Blue Jays

Kasevich barely played this season on account of back problems. He's an interesting prospect all the same thanks to his extreme bat-to-ball and zone-control skills. Kasevich doesn't offer much power (his career-high ISO, at any level and in any sample size, is a laughable .108) and there are no guarantees his game transfers well enough to the majors. Some club looking to tap into that Blue Jays Magic could do worse than plucking him and hoping for the best. Will he be selected? No

8. Hayden Mullins, LHP, Red Sox

Mullins is a small southpaw who spent most of last season starting games in Double-A. He has a quality arsenal, including a riding fastball that gives batters fits up in the zone. That helps to explain why he was able to strike out more than 10 batters per nine innings. Alas, Mullins also walked more than five batters per nine, suggesting that he might be better suited pitching in relief.  Will he be selected? Yes

9. Cameron Weston, RHP, Orioles

Weston is a sidearmer whose side-to-side arsenal allows him to pitch to and off either side of the plate. (S'pose that means he's sometimes Easton.) He throws five or six different pitches, depending on your classification algorithm of choice: sinker, slider, sweeper, cutter, splitter, and changeup. Weston's stuff is largely average or worse on its own and, in a worrisome development, he issued more walks than usual last season. He needs all the help he can get from his sequencing ability, in other words, but there's just enough here for some team to view him as a possible utility arm with an amusing gimmick. Will he be selected? No

10. Will Dion, LHP, Guardians

Dion might be the world's finest Clayton Kershaw impersonator. The Dodgers should take him for the easy viral social media posts that would pop up after his first televised spring training appearance. He also imparts nearly 20 inches of break on his low-90s fastball, allowing it to play up at the top of the zone better than the velocity suggests that it should. The rest of his game isn't nearly as interesting, giving him worse than a coin flip's chance of being selected as a long reliever or swingman. Will he be selected? No