The New York Mets have seven ranked prospects who need spots on the 40-man roster by Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline to avoid exposure to the Rule 5 Draft, according to MLB Pipeline’s team-by-team rundown.
Infielder Jefferson Rojas heads the group as the organization’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 68 prospect in baseball. Third baseman Jacob Reimer and right-hander Jack Wenninger also rank among the Mets’ top 10 prospects on the eligibility list.
Seven ranked Mets prospects need protection
MLB Pipeline lists the following players, with their organizational rankings and listed positions:
- Jefferson Rojas, third base/shortstop — No. 1 in the Mets system and No. 68 overall.
- Jacob Reimer, third base — No. 6.
- Jack Wenninger, right-handed pitcher — No. 8.
- Ryan Clifford, outfield — No. 14.
- Gary Gill Hill, right-handed pitcher — No. 16.
- Chris Suero, catcher/outfield/first base — No. 17.
- Jose Chirinos, right-handed pitcher — No. 26.
The list identifies players facing protection decisions. It does not announce that the Mets have added them to the roster or decided to leave any of them available to other clubs.
What the deadline means
Players who first signed at age 18 or younger must be protected within five seasons, while players who signed at 19 or older must be protected within four seasons, MLB.com explains. Eligible players left off their organizations’ 40-man rosters can be selected by another team.
For this year’s deadline, MLB.com identifies international signees and high school draft picks signed in 2022, along with college players taken in the 2023 draft, as the relevant signing classes.
The Rule 5 Draft is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 9, in San Diego. In its major league phase, a selecting club pays $100,000 for a player. If that player does not remain on the 26-man roster for the full season, he must be offered back to his former organization for $50,000.
Rojas is among eight eligible Top 100 prospects
Rojas is one of eight players on MLB Pipeline’s overall Top 100 list who need protection this year. The others are Christian Zazueta of the Dodgers, Travis Sykora and Jarlin Susana of the Nationals, Demetrio Crisantes of the Diamondbacks, Josue Briceño of the Tigers, Nolan Perry of the Blue Jays and Bryan Rincon of the Phillies.
MLB Pipeline expects all eight to receive roster spots. For the Mets, Tuesday’s deadline will determine which eligible prospects receive protection ahead of the December draft.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.