Brewers: Everything Fans Need To Know About The Brewers 2023-24 Offseason

Brewers Rule 5 Draft Eligibles

Carlos D. Rodriguez, Jeferson Quero, Eduardo Garcia, Bradley Blalock, Evan McKendry, Freddy Zamora, Zavier Warren, Adam Seminaris

With so many open 40 man roster spots, the Brewers will have some room to add some players to the 40 man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft, held at the Winter Meetings in December. Minor leaguers who have been in the pros a certain number of years are eligible to be selected by other teams if they aren't added to the 40 man roster.

There are many more players in the Brewers farm system that are Rule 5 eligible than the ones named above, but most face zero risk of being selected by other teams in the MLB phase or of being protected on the 40 man.

The top Brewers prospect eligible this winter is catcher Jeferson Quero. He's the Crew's #2 prospect and just turned 21 years old after a fantastic season in Double-A Biloxi. He's advanced enough in the minors, highly touted enough, and plays a premium position to where if left unprotected some other team could try to carry him on their big league roster in 2024. Quero seems like a clear call for the Brewers to add to the 40 man roster to protect him from Rule 5.

Quero is the only guarantee among this group to be protected. This is the Rule 5 year for 2020 draftees and that was just a 5 round draft, so there are fewer players that need to be protected this year around baseball. Freddy Zamora and Zavier Warren are the two remaining Brewers 2020 Draftees that remain in the organization and aren't already on the 40 man. Zamora could be protected but Warren hasn't played well and likely will be left off the 40 man.

Carlos D. Rodriguez, the outfielder, could be worthy of a spot, but it's a crowded outfield group already on the Brewers 40 man. He hit .291 in Double-A this year, so some team could be willing to give him a shot if the Brewers won't protect him.

Bradley Blalock and Evan McKendry are pitchers that were acquired at the Trade Deadline this year. McKendry is in Triple-A and stands a solid chance of being added to the 40 man or selected by another team. Given the Brewers need for pitching depth, adding McKendry is a strong possibility. Blalock didn't make it above High-A and didn't pitch well after coming over to the Brewers. He likely won't be protected.