Breaking: Dodgers Protect Jack Dreyer From Rule 5 Draft, Ensure Key…

Jack Dreyer was added to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 40-man roster before the deadline on Tuesday in order to be protected from potential selection by another organization in the Rule 5 Draft in December.

Dreyer seemingly takes the spot of Connor Brogdon, who elected free agency after being removed from the 40-man roster. The Dodgers’ 40-man roster currently stands at 38 players.

All teams had until 3 p.m. PT on Tuesday to add players to their 40-man rosters to prevent them from being eligible in the Rule 5 Draft taking place on Dec. 11 to conclude this year’s Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas.

Picks in the Rule 5 Draft are in reverse order from that season’s standings. Selecting teams pay $100,000 to the club from which a player was taken from. Teams are not required to make a selection.

After losing three players in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft, no Dodgers were selected in the Major League portion in 2023.

Dreyer, 25, was signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He pitched 14.2 scoreless for Double-A Tulsa this year before earning a promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The left-handed reliever finished his year by going 5-2 with a 2.95 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 52 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched over 37 appearances for Oklahoma City.

Notable Dodgers prospects not added to the 40-man roster include Jake Vogel, the team’s third-round pick in 2020, Damon Keith, Ryan Ward and Austin Gauthier. Carlos Duran was also left out, but his walk issues couldn’t outweigh an impressive strikeout rate that declined upon reaching Double-A.

Dodgers Rule 5 Draft protection history

In 2023, the Dodgers added Nick Frasso, Landon Knack and Hunter Feduccia to their 40-man roster, protecting them from being selected by another organization.

Frasso missed the entirety of the 2024 season because of shoulder surgery, while both Knack and Feduccia contributed to the most recent season. Knack provided bulk innings, including being an innings eater during their most recent World Series run.

Players taken during the first round of the Rule 5 draft must remain with their new team’s Major League roster for the entire season, or have the opportunity to be returned to their former team.