Every Rule 5 Draft Pick That Has Made An MLB Roster For 2025
Image credit: Noah Murdock (Photo by Bill Mitchell)
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated on March 27 to reflect Opening Day rosters.
Seven of the 15 MLB Rule 5 picks ended up sticking with MLB teams on Opening Day rosters.
Two weeks ago, we presented the cases to stick for each of the 15 players selected in the MLB portion of the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. Cubs third baseman Gage Workman was the first to make his team’s Opening Day roster, while A’s reliever Noah Murdock learned around the same time that he would be on his new team’s roster.
Since then Shane Smith has been told he’ll make the White Sox roster, and the White Sox have added another Rule 5 pick by claiming RHP Mike Vasil off waivers. The Rays had waived Vasil, but since he has been claimed by another team, he remains an eligible Rule 5 pick with the same roster requirements. Lefthander Connor Thomas has also made the Brewers roster, and the Marlins will keep catcher Liam Hicks. The Angels decided to keep Garrett McDaniels as well.
Six picks have been returned to their original teams while two (Nate Lavender and Angel Bastardo) are set to begin the season on the injured list. They will have to be added to the active MLB roster once healthy.
As a reminder, MLB Rule 5 picks cannot be optioned to the minors. They must remain on a MLB 26-player active roster (or on the injured/suspended list) for the entirety of the 2025 season or be placed on waivers. If placed on waivers, another team can claim the player and assume the same Rule 5 roster requirements. If no team chooses to do so, the player is offered back to his original team. The original team can have the player back (with no Rule 5 roster requirements) by returning $50,000 of the original $100,000 posting fee the selecting team paid when picking the player.
Below, you’ll find the status of all 15 players selected in the MLB portion of the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. We’ll update the information as further Rule 5 decisions are made.
| Team | Player | Pos. | Former Team | Made Roster | Returned | Injured |
| White Sox | Shane Smith | RHP | Brewers | X | ||
| Marlins | Liam Hicks | C | Tigers | X | ||
| Angels | Garrett McDaniels | LHP | Dodgers | X | ||
| Athletics | Noah Murdock | RHP | Royals | X | ||
| Nationals | Evan Reifert | RHP | Rays | X | ||
| Blue Jays | Angel Bastardo | RHP | Red Sox | X | ||
| Reds | Cooper Bowman | 2B | Athletics | X | ||
| Rays | Nate Lavender | LHP | Mets | X | ||
| Twins | Eiberson Castellano | RHP | Phillies | X | ||
| Cubs | Gage Workman | 3B | Tigers | X | ||
| Braves | Anderson Pilar | RHP | Marlins | X | ||
| Padres | Juan Nunez | RHP | Orioles | X | ||
| Brewers | Connor Thomas | LHP | Cardinals | X | ||
| White Sox | Mike Vasil | RHP | Mets | X | ||
| Braves | Christian Cairo | SS | Guardians | X |
