December 14th, 2018 at 10:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka It’s one of those events that makes you squirm in your seat – the annual Rule-5 Draft, which is usually held on the final day of the MLB Winter Meetings each year.
Although every team tries their best to protect their top Rule-5-eligible prospects from being snatched away by another team, the only way to safely do so is to add them to their current 40-man roster; otherwise they are fair game for every one of the other 29 MLB teams out there … and make no mistake about it, every other team out there absolutely positively knows who your top Rule-5-eligible prospects are.
For those unfamiliar with how the Rule-5 Draft works, the selection order is the same as the regular MLB First-Year Player Draft held each June, with the team with worst record in previous season picking first and the team with the best record picking last. The caveat is that every player selected in the Rule 5 Draft must immediately be added to the drafting team’s 40-man roster.
Heading into Thursday’s Rule-5 Draft, the Dodgers had exactly zero vacancies on their 40-man roster – zip, zilch, nada. As such, their role in the 2018 Rule-5 Draft was that of spectators, hoping and praying that none of the other 29 MLB teams (who are also under that same 40-man roster rule thing) somehow … somehow miss their top unprotected prospects.
They did not.
Taken in the first round of the Rule-5 Draft by the Cincinnati Reds was 26-year-old infielder / outfielder Connor Joe, who was initially selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of the University of San Diego. Joe was acquired by the Dodgers prior to the 2018 season, spending time at Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he posted an impressive combined slash-line of .299 / .408 / .527 for an OPS of .935 in the 106 games in which he appeared.
(Photo courtesy of MLB.com)
Also taken in the first round of the Rule-5 Draft as the 11th overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies was 25-year-old middle infielder / outfielder Drew Jackson. The Berkeley, California native was originally selected by Seattle Mariners in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Stanford University and was acquired by the Dodgers in 2017, where he split time between Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa. He spent the entire 2018 season at Triple-A OKC, posting a slash-line of .251 / .356 / .447 for an OPS of .804 in 103 games played.
(Photo credit – Rich Crimi)
Although it is always painful to see young prospects snatched away in the Rule-5 Draft, it is often the best thing that can happen for them. It gives them a fresh start with a new organization that could expedite their progress to the major leagues which, after all, is exactly what minor league baseball is all about.
The staff at ThinkBlueLA.com wishes nothing but the very best to Connor Joe and Drew Jackson as they pursue their dream on making it to The Show.
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Unless Dodgers work out a trade whereby Joe and Jackson can be optioned to their respective teams minor league affiliates, I think we see both coming back before end of Spring Training.
Good call, Bum! Conner Joe isn’t back yet but Drew Jackson is. He has been assigned to OKC and is not on the 40-man.
You have ESPN.
If Joe and/or Jackson are returned to the Dodgers do they have to be added to the 40 man roster?
A VERY good question. Here’s what I found:
“Clubs may trade a player selected in the Rule 5 Draft, but the same restrictions apply to the player’s new organization. However, a club may also work out a trade with the Rule 5 pick’s original club to acquire his full rights, thereby allowing him to be optioned to the Minors under traditional circumstances.”