PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have a busy offseason with important moves throughout, which include who they protect or don’t protect before the Rule 5 Draft.
The Rule 5 Draft takes place every offseason during the winter meetings in early-middle part of December, which aims at preventing teams from keeping the best talent in their minor league system for too long.
Players that are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft are those that aren’t on the 40-man roster and were either 18 or younger on June 5 when they signed, and this serving as the fifth Rule 5 draft afterwards or 19 or older on June 5 when they signed and this serving as their fourth Rule 5 draft following.
How does the Rule 5 Draft work?
Teams also can only select players from the Rule 5 Draft if they have an opening spot on their 40-man roster.
Players that teams take from the Rule 5 Draft have to keep that player on the MLB roster the entire season and can’t send them down to the minor leagues.
Players that are selected also must spend at least 90 days on the roster that season and if they don’t meet that threshold, due to time on the injured list, they must spend those remaining days on the MLB roster the next season.
If a team trades a player they selected in the Rule 5 Draft, that team taking the player still has them under the same restrictions.
The Pirates made one of the most important selections in Rule 5 Draft history, taking Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente on Nov. 22, 1954 from the Brooklyn Dodgers.
What the Pirates Outlook is for the Rule 5 Draft?
The Pirates have 38 players on the 40-man roster, giving them two spots to either save for selecting players or add players from their minor leagues and protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.
They, and the other 29 teams, have until 6 p.m. on Nov. 18 to place players eligible for the Rule 5 Draft on their 40-man roster, or expose them to being taken.
Pittsburgh doesn’t have too many tough decisions, as they added pitchers in right-hander Bubba Chandler and left-hander Hunter Barco, plus catcher Rafael Flores, acquired in the David Bednar trade, on their MLB roster late in the 2025 season.
Sep 20, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler (57) pitches against the Athletics during the second inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Pirates will still need to make some more difficult decisions, as there are some valuable minor league pieces, that other teams could see as great gets for their 2026 season.
Two Players the Pirates Should Protect From the Rule 5 Draft
Outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez is the highest profile player in the Pirates farm system that is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft.
Valdez had an incredible 2025 campaign across High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, slashing .286/.376/.520 for an OPS of .896 in 123 games, 131 hits, 25 doubles, two triples, 26 home runs, 86 RBIs and 56 walks to 130 strikeouts.
Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
He earned earned honors for his play, including South Atlantic League MVP for his time in Greensboro and the Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year, given to the best minor league power hitter in the Pirates farm system.
Valdez also excelled in the Arizona Fall League, winning Offensive Player of the Year honors after slashing 368/.513/.842 for an OPS of 1.355 in 19 games with the Salt River Rafters, with 19 runs scored, 21 hits, three doubles, eight home runs, 27 RBIs and 19 walks to 12 strikeouts.
The Pirates might have trepidation towards placing Valdez, who hasn’t even made it to Triple-A yet, on the 40-man roster, but after a 2025 campaign where they were one of the worst hitting teams in baseball, they can’t afford to lose him for nothing.
Right-handed pitcher Brandon Bidois is another player the Pirates would benefit from adding to their 40-man roster before the Rule 5 Draft.
Bidois didn’t give up a hit over 64 batters, which went over 18 innings and 11 relief appearances with Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis from July 29 to Sept. 14.
The 24-year old Australian finished the 2025 campaign with an 8-0 record over 40 relief appearances across the four minor league levels with the Pirates, posting a 0.74 ERA over 61.0 innings pitched, 69 strikeouts to 27 walks, a .110 opposing batting average and a 0.80 WHIP.
The Pirates also named Bidois the Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year, honoring the best relief pitcher in their minor league system.
Other Players the Pirates May Consider Protecting
Other names that the Pirates might have interest in saving include right-handed pitchers in Wilber Dotel and Antwone Kelly, who both pitched for Altoona this past season.
Dotel posted a 7-9 record over 27 starts, a 4.15 ERA over 125.2 innings pitched, 131 strikeouts to 43 walks, a .234 opposing batting average and a 1.23 WHIP, with a 9.38 K/9, 3.08 BB/9 and a 3.05 K/BB.
He ranked amongst the best pitchers in the Eastern League, with the most games started, the third most strikeouts, the third lowest opposing batting average, the fourth lowest WHIP and the fifth most innings pitched, plus the third best K/9, fifth best K/BB and the sixth best BB/9.
Kelly earned promotion from High-A Greensboro to Altoona on June 24 and immediately joined the starting rotation.
He finished with a 2-2 record over 11 starts, a 3.00 ERA over 48.0 innings pitched, 46 strikeouts to 16 walks, a .226 opposing batting average and a 1.17 WHIP.
The Pirates do have a strong, young pitching staff, so it will come as interesting to see who they add to the 40-man roster before the deadline.
Other players that the Pirates may consider include catcher Omar Alfonzo, third baseman Jack Brannigan and left-handed pitcher Anthony Solometo.
Alfonzo has stayed healthy and played at Greensboro and Altoona, but both Brannigan and Solometo spent a large portion of 2025 out injured, likely keeping them from having other teams take them in the Rule 5 Draft.