Brewers: 3 Prospects To Protect From Rule 5 Draft, 3 To Leave Off The Roster

Brewers prospect to protect #2 - RHP Evan McKendry

Back at the August Trade Deadline, the Milwaukee Brewers made a minor league swap with the Tampa Bay Rays, sending out catcher Alex Jackson for the righty Evan McKendry. Both players were in Triple-A at the time.

The Brewers picked up McKendry, knowing he was Rule 5 eligible this winter but that he was close to being a big league ready arm. In Triple-A this year, McKendry had a 4.30 ERA as a starter. With Brandon Woodruff set to miss all of next season and the team in desperate need for more pitching depth, adding McKendry to the 40 man roster seems like an easy choice for the front office and has seemed like their plan from the beginning.

McKendry provides rotation depth and he can compete for a starting job in spring training. If left unprotected, there's a very good chance he's selected by another organization and the Brewers didn't trade for McKendry just to let him go to another team that easily.

Brewers prospect to leave off the roster #2 - LHP Adam Seminaris

While pitching depth is a need for the Brewers and a big reason why McKendry should get added, Adam Seminaris should be left off the 40 man roster and be unprotected in the Rule 5. The Brewers acquired him alongside Elvis Peguero and Janson Junk in the Hunter Renfroe trade last year.

Seminaris disappointed with the Biloxi Shuckers, pitching to a 5.95 ERA in 16 starts this year. He did deal with some injuries and is currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League, where he has a similar 5.87 ERA in 15.1 IP.

There's nothing in Seminaris' performance to indicate he's currently worthy of a 40 man roster spot. Milwaukee can afford to leave him off the roster until otherwise and risk some other team potentially taking him but it's unlikely given his performance this year.