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Peyton Pallette (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
With just a few days left until Opening Day, the final fates of the 2025 MLB Rule 5 picks are still being settled. Already, two of the 13 picks have been returned to their original teams, and a third is currently on waivers to be returned. Another will miss the entire season with an elbow injury.
But there has been good news for Rule 5 picks, as well. Two relievers have already been told they have made rosters, and another four seem likely to make it. That leaves another three who are very much on the bubble as teams make their final moves.
Here’s a look at how each MLB Rule 5 pick has fared this spring along with their current roster status for the start of the season. Stay tuned for updates as more Opening Day roster decisions are made.
RJ Petit, RHP, Rockies (from Tigers)
Roster Status: Pending
Spring Summary: The first-overall pick in the Rule 5 draft made three middling appearances this spring, posting a 6.75 ERA with a home run allowed, four hits and two walks compared to one strikeout in four innings. He then injured his elbow in an appearance against Team USA on March 4. He’s having internal brace surgery to repair his elbow ligament and will miss the entire season. If the Rockies decide to keep him on the 40-man roster, he will enter 2027 needing to spend 90 days on the active MLB roster to meet Rule 5 eligibility requirements.
Jedixson Paez, RHP, White Sox (from Red Sox)
Roster Status: Pending
Spring Summary: Paez’s overall numbers this spring seem ugly: 1-0, 6.35 with 12 hits, a home run and five walks in 11 innings. He’s struck out 11. But his underlying performance has been better than that. Paez gave up six runs in 1.1 innings in his second outing of the spring, but he’s been sold otherwise. His changeup has been a consistently effective pitch that generates plenty of swings and misses. With Mike Vasil needing Tommy John surgery, Paez should fit as a multi-inning reliever in Chicago’s bullpen.
Griff McGarry, RHP, Nationals (from Phillies)
Roster Status: Placed on waivers
Spring Summary: McGarry danced around trouble all spring. He finished with a 3.18 ERA, but he had just one clean inning in six outings. As has long been an issue for McGarry, he just didn’t throw enough strikes to claim a spot in the Nationals’ bullpen. He had a 54% strike percentage and an 18.5% walk rate this spring. The Nationals have placed him on waivers. If no one claims him, he will be offered back to the Phillies.
Daniel Susac, C, Giants (from Athletics)
Roster Status: Pending
Spring Summary: Susac did everything possible to claim the Giants’ backup catching job. He’s hit .350/.386/.550 with two home runs and a pair of doubles. His strikeout rate (20.4%) has remained within reasonable bounds, and he’s done a better job of blocking and controlling the running game than his competitors for the backup job.
Carter Baumler, RHP, Rangers (from Orioles)
Roster Status: Pending
Spring Summary: Baumler has been excellent for the Rangers. He’s allowed just one unearned run in 8.1 innings over seven appearances. He’s throwing strikes (65% strike percentage, 6.3% walk rate), and he’s spotting his mid-80s curveball and harder slider.
Ryan Watson, RHP, Red Sox (from Giants)
Roster Status: Pending
Spring Summary: Watson has done enough to stay in the race for the final spot in the Red Sox bullpen, but he hasn’t done enough to make it an easy decision. He’s posted a 5.56 ERA with 12 hits and three walks while striking out seven in 11.1 innings. Nothing in Watson’s arsenal is a true bat-misser, but he’s around the zone, and he rarely gives up home runs. He could find a home in a lower-leverage role, but the Red Sox have not announced their final roster yet.
Matt Pushard, RHP, Cardinals (from Marlins)
Roster Status: Made the Opening Day Roster
Spring Summary: Pushard’s spring with his new team started off poorly. He gave up solo home runs in each of his first two outings, but since then, he has settled in and allowed one run over his final six outings covering 6.2 innings. Pushard fills the zone (5.1% walk rate and a 66% strike rate), and the Cardinals rewarded him by placing him on their Opening Day roster.
Roddery Munoz, RHP, Astros (from Reds)
Roster Status: Pending
Spring Summary: The Astros have given Munoz plenty of work to see if he’s ready to help their bullpen. His 10 appearances lead all Astros pitchers this spring. He’s been asked to pitch on one-day rest and then on back-to-back days, something few relievers do during the spring. He’s responded well, with a 34.8% strikeout rate and 66.1% strike rate. He throws strikes, doesn’t walk batters and he’s kept the ball in the park (zero home runs this spring). The Astros haven’t announced a finalized roster and have a crowded bullpen, but Munoz has made an excellent case to stick around.
Peyton Pallette, RHP, Guardians (from White Sox)
Roster Status: Made the Opening Day Roster
Spring Summary: Pallette has earned a spot in the Guardians bullpen by allowing just three hits in six scoreless innings this spring. He’s struck out 11 of the 23 batters he’s faced and walked just three. He has not allowed a hit in his last four innings. With an upper-90s fastball and an effective 85-87 mph slider, Pallette has looked like a useful addition to the Guardians’ bullpen.
Spencer Miles, RHP, Blue Jays (from Giants)
Roster Status: Pending
Spring Summary: One Rule 5 pick’s bad news is potentially good news for Miles. The Blue Jays have placed Angel Bastardo, their 2024 MLB Rule 5 pick who missed the entire 2025 season recovering from an injury, on waivers. With Bastardo gone, it’s more likely that Miles makes this year’s roster. Miles posted a 3.72 ERA with 11 hits allowed in 9.2 innings this spring. He has a 10.9% walk rate and a 23.9% strikeout rate. Miles’ control has been iffy at times, but he did throw a perfect inning on Sunday in his last chance to state his case.
Cade Winquest, RHP, Yankees (from Cardinals)
Roster Status: Pending
Spring Summary: Winquest’s numbers are pretty ugly on the surface. He’s posted a 6.48 ERA and allowed three home runs in just eight outings spanning 8.1 innings. But the Yankees have been encouraged by the improvements he’s shown over the past month, with manager Aaron Boone praising his ability to make adjustments. Winquest has not yet been told he has a spot on the Opening Day roster, but the Yankees do seem to be at least considering keeping the righthander and his mid-90s fastball and curveball.
Zach McCambley, RHP, Marlins (picked by Phillies)
Roster Status: Returned to the Marlins
Spring Summary: The good news is McCambley posted a 1.23 ERA and a .208 opponent average for the Phillies this spring. But if Rule 5 relievers don’t throw strikes, they usually get sent back, and that’s what happened with McCambley. He walked 19.4% of batters this spring with a 55% strike rate. The Phillies returned him to the Marlins this week.
Alexander Alberto, RHP, Rays (picked by White Sox)
Roster Status: Returned to the Rays
Spring Summary: Alberto was always going to be one of the riskiest bets among this year’s Rule 5 picks. The Rays left him unprotected because of his lack of upper-level experience, figuring he wouldn’t be ready to make the jump from Class A to the majors, and that’s exactly what happened this spring. He posted a 10.80 ERA with a .387 opponent average. Yes, his cutter can be a weapon, but he fell behind in counts too often. His 58.8% strike percentage was well below MLB averages, and he allowed seven runs in his final 1.2 innings of work. He has been returned to the Rays.