Examining prospects Detroit Tigers could add to 40-man roster, protect from Rule 5 draft

The Rule 5 draft is scheduled for Dec. 6.

But the deadline to protect Rule 5 draft-eligible players — by placing them on the 40-man roster — is 6 p.m. Tuesday. Any eligible players left unprotected can be targeted by other teams and selected in the draft.

The Detroit Tigers already protected right-hander Keider Montero, a 23-year-old who pitched for Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo last season, because he was an impending minor-league free agent before joining the 40-man roster.

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In the Rule 5 draft, teams can choose to select an eligible unprotected player from another team for a $100,000 fee. A player picked in the Rule 5 draft needs to stay on the 26-man roster (or the injured list) for the entire 2024 season.

If removed from the roster, the player will be placed on waivers and offered back to their original team for $50,000.

Over the past five drafts, the Tigers have selected right-hander Mason Englert (2022 from Texas Rangers), outfielder Akil Baddoo (2020 from Minnesota Twins), right-hander Rony García (2019 from New York Yankees), right-hander Reed Garrett (2018 from Rangers) and outfielder Victor Reyes (2017 from Arizona Diamondbacks).

The Tigers kept Englert, Baddoo, García and Reyes.

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Players eligible for Rule 5 draft

Here's the full list of 2023 Rule 5 draft-eligible players from the Tigers' organization ahead of Tuesday's deadline:

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Right-handed pitchers (13): Austin Bergner, Michael Bienlien, Jose Diaz, Wilmer Flores, Dario Gardea, Layne Henderson, Wilkel Hernandez, Zack Hess, Williander Moreno, Tim Naughton, Angel Reyes, Yosber Sanchez, Bryce Tassin.

Left-handed pitchers (6): Jake Higginbotham, Andrew Magno, Carlos Pena, Gabriel Sequeira, Matt Walker, Adam Wolf.

Catchers (5): Eliezer Alfonzo, Daneurys De La Cruz, Dillon Dingler, Ricardo Hurtado, Eduardo Valencia.

Infielders (6): Jake Holton, Corey Joyce, Carlos Mendoza, Andrew Navigato, Adinso Reyes, Gage Workman.

Outfielders (7): Daniel Cabrera, Roberto Campos, Trei Cruz, Jose De La Cruz, Iverson Leonardo, Jose Reina, Manuel Sequera.

Let's take a look at six of the notable Rule 5 eligible players. The 40-man roster is full, so if the Tigers want to protect players, they'll have to remove at least the same number of players from the roster.

RHP Wilmer Flores

Acquired: Signed in 2020 as undrafted free agent.

Age: 22.

Highest level in 2023: Double-A Erie.

The buzz: Flores — the younger brother of 11-year MLB veteran Wilmer Flores — ranks as the Tigers' No. 7 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. He is the highest-ranked player eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Flores, who spent time on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, posted a 4.65 ERA with 33 walks and 90 strikeouts over 89 innings in 21 starts with High-A West Michigan (three starts) and Double-A Erie (18 starts). His fastball averaged 93 mph with a 31% whiff rate. He also throws his slider, which profiles like a cutter, in the strike zone to get weak contact, and he throws his 2,700 rpm curveball outside of the strike zone to get strikeouts. His changeup, currently a below-average pitch, could determine whether the big-league version of Flores ends up in the rotation or bullpen. (He could replace right-handers Garrett Hill or Brenan Hanifee on the 40-man roster.)

LHP Andrew Magno

Acquired: Round 15 (No. 442 overall), 2019 draft.

Age: 25.

Highest level in 2023: Triple-A Toledo.

The buzz: Magno is valuable, in part, because he is a left-handed reliever who can take down right-handed and left-handed hitters. He throws a four-seam fastball in the mid-90s, a slider which he added upon joining the Tigers' organization and a curveball to both sides of the plate. Magno, a teammate of Dingler at Ohio State, logged a 1.99 ERA with 36 walks and 82 strikeouts over 63⅓ innings in 44 games with Double-A Erie (36 games) and Triple-A Toledo (eight games). He served as a high-leverage reliever throughout Erie's journey to winning the Eastern League championship. The velocity, strikeouts and raw pitches are dazzling qualities, but the control needs to improve. He averaged 6.75 walks per nine innings in Toledo, then 4.73 walks per nine innings in Erie.

RHP Wilkel Hernandez

Acquired: From Los Angeles Angels in 2017 Ian Kinsler trade.

Age: 24.

Finished 2023 in: High-A West Michigan.

The buzz: Hernandez, like many prospects, was robbed of his development when the COVID-19 pandemic nixed the 2020 season, but he also missed the 2021 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. In 2023, Hernandez stayed healthy and registered a 3.65 ERA, 31 walks and 97 strikeouts over 106 innings in 26 games (20 starts) with High-A West Michigan. His above-average fastball sits around 93 mph and tops out in the upper-90s. The strikeout rate declined over the past two seasons, but the walk rate improved. This offseason, Hernandez is pitching out of the bullpen for Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League. The Tigers recently re-signed him to a minor-league contract to keep him from becoming a minor-league free agent, meaning he probably won't be added to the 40-man roster. If not, other teams could target him in the Rule 5 draft.

C Dillon Dingler

Acquired: Round 2 (No. 38 overall), 2020 draft.

Age: 25.

Highest level in 2023: Triple-A Toledo.

The buzz: Dingler didn't play his first game until April 21 after undergoing a right knee meniscectomy in mid-March during spring training. He hit .256 with 16 home runs, 42 walks and 105 strikeouts over 89 games with Low-A Lakeland (12 games), Double-A Erie (51 games) and Triple-A Toledo (26 games). With the Mud Hens, Dingler hit .202 with three homers, eight walks and 34 strikeouts. His .650 OPS at the Triple-A level was underwhelming, and in-zone whiffs remain an issue, but the Tigers don't expect Dingler to make his MLB debut coming out of spring training. His development, specifically on offense now that he is stable on defense, will continue in Toledo while Jake Rogers and Carson Kelly handle the catching duties. Dingler ranks as the Tigers' No. 11 prospect. (He could replace catcher Donny Sands on the 40-man roster.)

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OF/INF Trei Cruz

Acquired: Round 3 (No. 73 overall), 2020 draft.

Age: 25.

Finished 2023 in: Double-A Erie.

The buzz: Cruz — the son of Jose Cruz Jr. (12-year MLB career) and grandson of Jose Cruz (19-year MLB career) — spent the entire season with Double-A Erie, hitting .214 with 14 home runs, 81 walks and 127 strikeouts over 120 games. His power improved significantly, while his walk rate (15.1%) and strikeout rate (23.6%) stayed about the same compared to career norms. Cruz, a switch-hitter, added center field to his capabilities on defense after being a middle infielder for his entire career. He also plays shortstop, third base and second base. The combination of elite plate discipline, defensive versatility and developing power might persuade the Tigers to protect him. (He could replace infielder Tyler Nevin on the 40-man roster.)

OF Roberto Campos

Acquired: Signed in 2019 as an amateur free agent after defecting from Cuba.

Age: 20.

Finished 2023 in: High-A West Michigan.

The buzz: The Tigers have 2.85 million reasons to protect Campos. He received a $2.85 million signing bonus — a franchise record at the time for an international prospect — in July 2019 and has elite upside. He ranks as the Tigers' No. 22 prospect. Still, Campos hasn't played above High-A West Michigan and hasn't unleashed his power potential. He hit .257 with five home runs, 28 walks and 81 strikeouts over 88 games with the Whitecaps. There seems to be so much untapped potential, but the Tigers probably won't need protect him because of how far away he is from the major leagues and only average results so far in the minor leagues.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Examining prospects Detroit Tigers could protect from Rule 5 draft