TBNL: Chicago's high asking price for Crochet, Rule 5 Draft results

Baseball’s offseason has started the holiday slowdown a little but there is still work to be done for all 30 teams.

While some have spent big already — the Mets have committed to $837M in contracts; the Dodgers and Yankees are both over $200M as well — there are teams who have yet to sign a single player to a guaranteed contract for the 2025 season (or beyond). They include Kansas City, Minnesota, Houston, Seattle, Atlanta, Miami, Washington, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Arizona, and San Diego.

Multiple Top 100 prospects

Jon Heyman of the New York Post offered some additional clarity on Chicago’s efforts to trade Garrett Crochet. The left-hander was dealt to Boston yesterday for four prospects.

According to Heyman, Chicago remained firm in their asking price with all interested suitors. The White Sox insisted on adding multiple Top 100 prospects as part of their return. They asked the Mets to include both Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams (ranked 40th and 52nd, respectively, on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100). Chicago also asked the Yankees to include Jasson Dominguez (ranked 14th) and George Lombard Jr. (not ranked on the Top 100, but viewed as New York’s third-best prospect). Both New York teams refused and talks fell apart.

While I still feel Boston overpaid to acquire Crochet, each of these duos would have been equally as intriguing for Chicago. I can understand the ask but also each New York club’s refusal.

Rule 5 Draft results

The Rule 5 Draft was conducted on Wednesday, marking the unofficial end to the Winter Meetings. 15 players (11 of them pitchers) were selected in the Major League phase of this year’s R5 Draft.

Players selected in the R5 Draft must remain on their new club’s active roster through the upcoming season or they are returned to their original organization.

68 additional players changed organizations during the Triple-A phase of the draft (it’s worth noting that these players are not held to the same roster restrictions as those taken in the MLB phase). The 83 overall picks made were the most since 2004, per MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo.

Chicago used the first pick on right-handed pitcher Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest in 2021, Smith spent most of the 2024 season at Double-A Biloxi but made five appearances with Triple-A Nashville, too. Combined he pitched 94.1 IP on the year, posting a 3.05 ERA and 1.049 WHIP with 113 strikeouts and just 29 walks.

The full Rule 5 Draft results:

1. White Sox: Shane Smith, RHP, Milwaukee

2. Marlins: Liam Hicks, C, Detroit

3. Angels: Garrett McDaniels, LHP, Los Angeles (NL)

4. Athletics: Noah Murdock, RHP, Kansas City

5. Nationals: Evan Reifert, RHP, Tampa Bay

6. Blue Jays: Angel Bastardo, RHP, Boston

7. Reds: Cooper Bowman, 2B, Athletics

8. Rays: Nathan Lavender, LHP, New York (NL)

9. Twins: Eiberson Castellano, RHP, Philadelphia

10. Cubs: Gage Workman, 3B, Detroit

11. Braves: Anderson Pilar, RHP, Miami

12. Padres: Juan Nuñez, RHP, Baltimore

13. Brewers: Connor Thomas, LHP, St. Louis

14. Phillies: Mike Vasil, RHP, New York (NL) (traded to Tampa Bay for cash considerations)

15. Braves: Christian Cairo, SS, Cleveland (Round 2)