Who are we worried about losing to the draft?
Short list:
Wikelman
Grant Gambrel?
Stephen Scott?
Drohan?
Politi?
What happens next year to players who were eligible this year but not selected? Are they eligible every year thereafter?
(Should we have a Rule 5 thread?)
People are eligible every year until they are added to the 40 (or become Minor League free agents). There should maybe be a thread, but I think it would fit in fine with the '24 40-man roster thread in the main forum.
Here are the R5 eligible guys in order of my rankings. Will go down to Politi since he made your list:
SP Perales (#6) - Only made it to A+, but elite stuff, do not want to risk losing. Should add.
SP Wikelman (#9) - Made it to AA, elite stuff, do not want to risk losing. Should add.
MI Bonaci (#13) - Made it to AA, excellent defender. AFL was going to be interesting, but had to cut his stint short (if I had to wildly speculate, I think someone close to him passed away). Should probably add.
MI Paulino (#18) - Has only made it to A+, so probably safe, but I would be disappointed if someone took him. Probably shouldn't add.
OF Castro (#21) - Has only made it to A+, so probably safe, but I would be disappointed if someone took him. Probably shouldn't add.
SP Drohan #23 - Was kind of a disaster in AAA, so I
think he's safe, but I would be disappointed if someone took him. Mixed feelings on adding.
SP Bastardo (#26) - Has made it to AA, where he did not pitch great. I think he's probably safe, but would be a bit disappointed if someone took him. He has an interesting profile & stuff. Probably shouldn't add.
SP Gambrell (#33) - Pitched pretty well in AAA at the end of the season. I would kind of like to see him added in lieu of someone like Brandon Walter. I think he has a pretty decent chance of being a reasonable depth arm. Have mentioned this before, but he profiles very similarly to Thad Ward, & I think he will probably get taken if we leave him unprotected. Should maybe add.
C Scott (#37) - Huge slump to end the AAA season after mashing for a long time. I'm not particularly concerned if someone wants to take him in the Rule 5 at this point. He's a lefty & not really good enough at defense to be additive to the current iteration of the Red Sox. Probably shouldn't add.
RP Fernandez (#41) - Was lights out in AA & struggled in AAA. Has really nice stuff & has back end of the bullpen potential. Just a matter of whether his control/command will ever be good enough. Probably depends on what else they do to address the bullpen this off season & what they think of him. Mixed feelings on adding.
SP Song (#45) - I don't think another team is going to jerk him around again next year like the Phillies did this year. I think we can safely not add him & hope for the best. He pitched ok in A+ at the end of the season, but has a long way to go to get back to where he was a few years ago. Should not add.
3B JOHNFRANK (#47) - I love Johnfrank, but he didn't even play great in A-Ball this season, so pretty sure he's safe. Should not add.
RP De La Rosa (#50) - I also irrationally love De La Rosa. He pitched well in A-Ball, but pretty sure he's safe. Should not add.
RP Cepeda (#51) - He's a really interesting case. He pitched great in A+ after being promoted & has pitched well in the AFL thus far. Has really good stuff & wouldn't be completely shocked if someone poached him...but think he's probably too far away & without elite enough stuff to truly worry about that happening. Should probably not add.
SP BVB (#52) - He's kind of a JAG. Got a bit better toward the end of the AAA season. May be able to provide MLB depth, & should be solid MiLB depth, but not really the type of guy you worry about protecting. Should not add.
SP PENROD (#54) - I will probably be moving Penrod up my list next time. Was signed from Independent ball a couple months ago & pitched well for Greenville, & has allowed 1 run in 8 innings in the AFL so far. He's also already 26 & has some really good stuff. Mixed feelings on adding.
RP Politi (#57) - He was taken by the Orioles last year before being returned. He's already 27 & did not have a great year in AAA. He might get taken, but I don't think he has the level of stuff that would make that a big concern. Should not add.
The only other players who really would have a chance of getting taken (unless I'm totally missing something), are also relievers, like Justin Hagenman (#59) & Ryan Zeferjahn (#72), & CJ Liu, who profiles better as a reliever (#84). But I don't think any of them are good enough or MLB ready enough to worry about protecting.