Reds’ 2024 Rule 5 Draft: Key Details, Roster Deadline, and Eligible Players
The Cincinnati Reds are preparing for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft, which will take place on the final day of the MLB Winter Meetings. In the coming days, the Reds will need to make some important decisions regarding their offseason roster to protect certain prospects from being selected in the draft.
The Rule 5 Draft allows teams to select players who are not on their current organization’s 40-man roster, provided they meet certain eligibility criteria. To prevent any of their prospects from being chosen, the Reds will need to add them to their 40-man roster before the draft.
Last offseason, the Reds added three players—Blake Dunn, Christian Roa, and Jacob Hurtubise—to their roster, and they may add even fewer this year. With the current 40-man roster at 36 players, the Reds have room to protect up to four prospects.
Reds 2024 Rule 5 Draft: Deadline for Protecting Players
Reds fans should mark Tuesday, November 19 on their calendars. This is the deadline by which Cincinnati must add eligible players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. Any player with more than four (and in some cases, five) years of professional experience who is not on a 40-man roster can be selected in the draft.
There’s an important condition for Rule 5 selections: the player must remain on the active roster for the entire 2025 season. If the team that selects the player wishes to send him down to the minors at any point, they must first offer the player back to the original team.
Reds 2024 Rule 5 Draft: Who Needs to Be Added to the 40-Man Roster?
Unlike many teams, the Reds do not have any top-30 organizational prospects eligible for this year’s Rule 5 Draft. This reduces the likelihood of Cincinnati adding multiple players to the 40-man roster, as they typically protect their most valuable assets. However, it’s still possible that a few fringe prospects could be added.
The following players are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft and could be added to the Reds’ 40-man roster:
- Mat Nelson, C
- Andrew Moore, RHP
- Justice Thompson, OF
- Jose Acuña, RHP
- Tyler Callihan, 2B
- Michael Trautwein, C
- Austin Callahan, 2B
- Luis Mey, RHP
- Austin Hendrick, OF
- Ryan Cardona, RHP
- Ivan Johnson, 2B
- Jose Franco, RHP
- Yerlin Confidan, OF
Top prospects like Cam Collier, Edwin Arroyo, Carlos Jorge, and Hector Rodriguez are not eligible for protection until next winter, while players such as Sal Stewart, Adam Serwinowski, and Ty Floyd won’t need protection until 2026.
Of the players eligible, Luis Mey, Tyler Callihan, and Jose Acuña are the most likely to be added to the 40-man roster before the November 19 deadline. However, it’s not uncommon for teams to surprise with a last-minute addition or two, so don’t be surprised if the Reds choose not to add anyone before the deadline.
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