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Late Tuesday afternoon, MLB organizations had to set their 40-man rosters, forcing club decision-makers to decide which prospects to protect from Rule 5 Draft eligibility. The Minnesota Twins elected to protect six players: pitchers Connor Prielipp, Kendry Rojas, Andrew Morris, John Klein, and position players Gabriel Gonzalez and Hendry Mendez.
All six could impact the major-league club in some capacity next season. Yet, Minnesota could add more reinforcements to its 40-man roster during the Rule 5 Draft on December 10, with hopes of them becoming immediate contributors at the major-league level. Here are four pitchers whose names are worth filing away.
Peter Heubeck
Selected in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Heubeck has spent his first five seasons in affiliated ball in the Los Angeles Dodgers system, progressing from the Arizona Complex League to Double A. The 23-year-old has yet to break out; he doesn’t throw enough strikes. He walked or plunked 13.7% of opposing batters in 2025. Yet, his fastball, slider, and curve all profile as above-average, making the career starter an attractive candidate to transition into a relief role at the major-league level.
The position group most likely to be targeted by Minnesota (and everyone else) in the Rule 5 Draft is relievers. That’s just the nature of the draft. Heubeck is one of the more intriguing arms left unprotected, and given that his two primary pitches are a fastball and slider (a combination the front office seeks out in its relievers), the hard-throwing righty is an the Twins could select on Dec. 10. If picked by Minnesota, Heubeck would join Prielipp, Morris, Klein, and other young arms in competing for a spot in the club’s Opening Day bullpen.
Peyton Pallette
Last December, the Chicago White Sox benefited from the Rule 5 Draft more than any other club, selecting Shane Smith with the first overall pick. The young right-handed starting pitcher earned an All-Star nod in his first season with the Southsiders, solidifying himself as a mid-rotation arm. This December, the Twins could give the White Sox a taste of their own medicine by plucking Pallette.
Sporting one of the most effective curves in the minors, the 24-year-old excelled at missing bats last season, generating a 32.5% strikeout rate over 64 1/3 innings pitched. The young righty complemented his curve with a serviceable four-seam fastball that hovers around 95 MPH and a plus changeup. He also has a slider with unusually good depth. A little refinement (adding a cutter, perhaps, or fixing the shape on his four-seamer) could turn him into a high-leverage weapon right away.
Jedixson Paez
Last offseason, the Twins selected Eiberson Castellano with the ninth pick of the Rule 5 Draft. It was a bet on his plus stuff carving out a role for him in the club’s Opening Day bullpen. Unfortunately, Castellano’s command was inconsistent, forcing the Twins to return him to the Philadelphia Phillies. Paez is the complete opposite of Castellano, making him an intriguing option if the club pursues a different type of reliever this December.
Landing in the 10th spot of Eric Longenhagen’s updated Boston Red Sox prospect rankings, the 21-year-old Paez is described as a “command artist”. Longenhagen hung a 70 future command grade (on the 20-80 prospect ranking scale) on Paez. The young right-hander has near-elite control over his secondary pitches, highlighted by a plus slider, changeup, and cutter. His primary pitch is a velocity-deficient four-seam fastball that hovers around 90-91 MPH. Still, if he transitioned to a full-time reliever, his fastball would likely see a velocity bump. Despite not pitching above High A, Paez is a fascinating arm who could blossom on the strength of his control.
Brendan Beck
The New York Yankees suffered a raid of their high-minors right-handed pitching talent in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, with right-handed arms Mitch Spence, Matt Sauer, and Carson Coleman all being poached by other organizations. They got a reprieve last offseason, with no arms being taken by other organizations. Yet, they could be due for another mass exodus next month, after failing to protect high-upside arms in Henry Lalane, Brock Selvidge, and Hueston Morrill.
All three of these pitchers could be selected. Yet, the arm that stands out the most is right-handed pitching prospect Brendan Beck. Drafted in the second round in 2021, Beck has flourished in the Yankees’ farm system, posting an ERA under 2.00 in his young professional career.
Sporting a plus four-seam fastball and slider and near-elite command, the 27-year-old mustered a respectable 3.36 ERA, 3.79 FIP, and a 23.6% strikeout rate over 131 1/3 innings as a starter between Double A and Triple A last season. The righty has operated exclusively as a starter. He would transition into a full-time reliever in Minnesota, with hopes that the club’s pitching development staff would unlock more velocity from his fastball, which hovers around 92 MPH.