When the Miami Marlins made their Rule 5 prospects decisions on Tuesday, one name didn’t come up — third baseman Jacob Berry.
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft, Berry was eligible because he was drafted out of college and had been in the minor leagues for four years. At that point, the Marlins either had to move him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft or expose him to next month’s selection process at the MLB winter meetings.
There is no guarantee that amy team will take Berry. Rules specify he would need to be moved to their 40-man roster if selected. Berry’s body of work suggests it may not be worth picking him.
The switch-hitting third baseman has a lifetime slash of .244/.316/.379 with 31 home runs and 193 RBI. At a premium power position, he’s only hit 10 or more home runs in one season. With Triple-A Jacksonville this season, he only hit eight. History suggests his chances of making the Majors with any team have dropped significantly because he wasn’t protected.
Jacob Berry’s Dwindling MLB Hopes