Rule V Draft
From BR Bullpen
The Rule V Draft is held annually during baseball's Winter Meetings. Teams must file a 40 man roster with the league office by November 20. Any player who fits all of the below criteria is eligible for the Rule V Draft:
- Player is not on the 40 man roster
- Player has been in the minor leagues for at least 4 years if he was signed after age 19 (was 3 years before the 2006 CBA).
- Player has been in the minor leagues for at least 5 years if he was signed before age 19 (was 4 years before the 2006 CBA).
Any player drafted must stay in the major leagues all season. Before he is sent to the minors, he must be offered back to the club who had his rights for a $25,000 waiver fee. Often, teams will send a player in lieu of the fee.
Minor league teams can also participate in the draft. AAA teams can draft any player eligible from AA for $12,000, and AA teams can draft any players that are eligible from A for $4,000. Players chosen in the minor league part of the draft do not need to return to the original teams for any reason.
It is rare that a Rule V draftee turns into a major league all star. The best known Rule V player is Roberto Clemente, who was drafted from the Dodgers, by the Pittsburgh Pirates, after the 1954 season. Also, 2004 Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana (1999) and 2008 All-Stars Dan Uggla (2004) and Josh Hamilton (2006) were Rule V draftees.
Over the years, the Toronto Blue Jays have been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the draft, selecting club fixtures Willie Upshaw, George Bell, Jim Acker, and Kelly Gruber.
