With several open slots on their 40-man roster, the A¡¯s took the opportunity to protect a handful of their promising young prospects from inclusion in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
Shortstop Nick Allen (Oakland's No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline), infielders Jordan Diaz (No. 11) and Jonah Bride, outfielder Cody Thomas (No. 19) and right-hander Jorge Juan (No. 21) were all added to Oakland¡¯s roster ahead of Friday¡¯s deadline to add players who are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Following the additions, the A¡¯s 40-man roster stands at 34.
Among the club¡¯s Top 30 Prospects, outfielders Junior Perez (No. 15) and Austin Beck (No. 28), right-hander Brady Feigl (No. 23) and Jeremy Eierman (No. 26) remain eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft, which is scheduled to take place at the Winter Meetings on Dec. 8 in Orlando.
Teams without a full 40-man roster are allowed to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs in the Rule 5 Draft, with teams drafting in reverse order of the standings from the previous season. Players signed at 19 years old or younger must be added to their club¡¯s 40-man roster within four seasons for protection from the Rule 5 Draft, while players signed at 18 years or younger need to be added within five seasons.
Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. If that player doesn't stay on the new team's MLB roster for the full ensuing season, he must be offered back to his former team for $50,000.
The A¡¯s have a history of activity in the Rule 5 Draft. They acquired two players in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 last year, selecting outfielder Ka¡¯ai Tom and right-hander Dany Jim¨¦nez, though Tom was designated for assignment in April while Jim¨¦nez was returned to the Blue Jays during Spring Training. In 2020, Oakland selected infielder Vimael Mach¨ªn, who remains on the club¡¯s 40-man roster and appeared in 15 games for the A¡¯s in 2021.
Allen, 23, is expected to make his arrival to the big leagues at some point in 2022. The slick-fielding infielder made big strides this year, combining to slash .288/.346/.403 with six home runs, 17 doubles and 12 stolen bases in 89 games between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas. Allen also received a chance to show off his skills on the national stage as he helped Team USA capture a silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
Diaz has long impressed with his bat, including in his 2021 campaign with High-A Lansing in which he hit .288 with 13 home runs, 24 doubles, a triple and 56 RBIs in 90 games. The 21-year-old infielder also impressed A¡¯s scouts with his defensive improvement at both corner infield spots.
While Bride, 25, is not among Oakland¡¯s Top 30 Prospects, he has gained plenty of fans within the A¡¯s scouting department for his defensive versatility, including an introduction to the catcher position over the past month while playing in the Arizona Fall League. He played 78 games for Double-A Midland this year, hitting .265 with nine homers and 49 RBIs. His .381 career on-base percentage in the Minors also fits the profile of players the A¡¯s tend to value.
Thomas was acquired along with left-hander Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers in a February deal that sent infielder Sheldon Neuse and right-hander Gus Varland to Los Angeles. Battling injuries, the 27-year-old outfielder continued his slugging ways in his first year in Oakland's system, hitting .289 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs in 59 games at Triple-A Las Vegas.
Juan, 22, possesses a two-pitch mix that features a power fastball that can hit as high as 99 mph and a curveball that flashes plus around 85 mph. He put together a 5.40 ERA across 26 2/3 innings with 40 strikeouts in eight combined appearances for Low-A Stockton and High-A Lansing.