WTHB, has a draft primer up. http://whattheheckbobby.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-rule-5-draft-primer-and-2014-astros.html Pretty much locks to be picked if not protected: RHP Mike Foltynewicz RHP Nick Tropeano OF Delino DeShields RHP Michael Feliz RHP Vincent Velasquez LHP Tommy Shirley Then it gets tricky with guys like, Sanudo, Gustave, Guduan, Weiland, and maybe a position player or 2.
I still don't think you risk him, especially since he can play multiple positions (even if it isn't well).
Exactly. Just on talent alone someone would take a flyer on him; he'd be easy to stash for a year as the 25th man, CF/LF/PR/emergency 2Bman.
...and looking at the 40-man, I counted about 10-15 guys that it wouldn't be a disaster to let go (or trade if possible).
I'd also protect: Gustave Ronald Torreyes and still giver consideration to Carlos Perez even though he made it through last year. I personally would be inclined to take a backup catcher in the Rule V, though teams don't seem to be.
Hopefully, they won't risk those guys at the expense of Veres, Cisnero, Krauss, Bass, Chapman and, as things are going now, Albers and Crain.
Veras & Crain will be FAs and not on the 40-man roster. Albers has a team option. Of course, Crain & Cisnero don't currently count towards our 40 man roster today, so we really have 42 players. If you subtract Veras & Crain, you are left with 40 guys that would be on our roster. Downs & Guzman are easy decisions to be gone.
Personally, I wouldn't protect DDJ. But admittedly, I don't think he has a ML future outside of a role player and we have plenty of those.
Just some perspective: he's 3.2 years younger than the average position player in the Texas League, and 3.5 years younger than the average pitcher (9th youngest player in the TL at the start of the season). Only 4 of his 350 plate appearances have come against pitchers younger than him. At the same age, and after 4 years of college, Kenny Lofton was putting up a .214/.286/.273 line at low-A SS ball (he spent the entire next season at A-/A level). He's by no means a sure-fire anything and he has struggled a bit this year, but you don't give up guys that young who have all-world speed to go along with good (esp for his age) on-base ability.
He was still a Texas League All-star, has a great walk rate, and plenty of speed. I wouldn't say DDJ has lost shine, unless you just rated him extremely high (like MLB.com did). He's a Top 10 prospect in probably ever organization, and would be a top 150ish prospect overall.
Will be interesting to see how trades play into all of our minor league depth. We can question the ceiling of some of our top prospects and their development an all of that But our quality depth can't be questioned
You are already seeing it. Luhnow traded some of the AA and AAA limited guys for guys in A; which allowed for promotions.
So as not to derail the minor league thread, and I have nothing better to do this morning. I can't predict trades, so I'm just gonna assume for this discussion the only guys we lose are guys we waive. 24 Locks The MLB locks (position players) 10 Players Spoiler C Jason Castro 1B Jonathan Singleton 2B Jose Altuve SS Marwin Gonzalez SS Jonathan Villar 3B Matt Dominguez LF Jake Marisnick CF Dexter Fowler RF George Springer DH Chris Carter The MLB locks (pitchers) (7 Players) Spoiler SP Dallas Keuchel SP Collin McHugh SP Brett Olberholtzer SP Scott Feldman SP Mike Foltynewicz RP Chad Qualls RP Tony Sipp Top Prospect Locks (7 Players) Spoiler SP Nick Tropeano SP Michael Feliz SP Tommy Shirley SP Vincent Velasquez SP Luis Cruz OF Delino DeShields OF Domingo Santana 40 Man Guys We Let Go Spoiler OF Alex Presley OF Marc Krauss 1B Jesus Guzman SS Gregorio Petit SP David Martinez SP Rudy Owens RP Darin Downs RP Paul Clemens RP Josh Zeid RP Kevin Chapman RP Jesse Crain (Free Agent) RP Jose Veras (Free Agent) Question Marks (Current 40 Man) Spoiler OF Robbie Grossman C Carlos Corporan C Max Stassi OF L J Hoes SP Brad Peacock SP Jake Buchanan SP Alex White SP Asher Wojiechowski RP Anthony Bass RP Josh Fields RP Matt Albers (team option) RP Jose Cisnero Question Marks (Non 40 Man) Spoiler C Carlos Perez C Rene Garcia IF Ronald Torreyes 1B Telvin Nash 3B Matt Duffy 3B Jonathan Meyer OF Danry Vasquez SP Colton Cain SP David Rollins RP Jason Stoffel RP Richard Rodriguez RP Rhiner Cruz RP Chris Devenski RP Reymin Guduan RP Jandel Gustave RP Gonzalo Sanudo Guys I would protect (10 players) Spoiler C Max Stassi OF Robbie Grossman SP Alex White SP Asher Wojiechowski RP Matt Albers (team option) 3B Matt Duffy SP David Rollins SP Jake Buchanan RP Jandel Gustave RP Josh Fields Guys I would risk/let go Spoiler C Carlos Corporan SP Brad Peacock OF L J Hoes RP Anthony Bass RP Jose Cisnero C Carlos Perez C Rene Garcia IF Ronald Torreyes 1B Telvin Nash 3B Jonathan Meyer OF Danry Vasquez SP Colton Cain RP Jason Stoffel RP Richard Rodriguez RP Rhiner Cruz RP Chris Devenski RP Reymin Guduan RP Gonzalo Sanudo This would leave 6 roster spots to play with or leave open, I really don't see the crunch being too bad. While i was coming up with the guys we need to protect, I was hardpressed to find more than 10 that I would deem to be tough losses. Granted losing any prospect is a bad thing, but given our depth i thought it would be worse.