Certainly one of my favourite annual workout routines is a fast and soiled evaluation of each crew’s 40-man roster state of affairs. Which prospects should be added to their membership’s 40-man by subsequent Tuesday’s deadline to be shielded from the Rule 5 Draft? Which veterans are in peril of being non-tendered due to their projected arbitration wage? And which gamers aren’t adequate to make their present org’s energetic roster, however would see the sphere for a special membership and due to this fact have some commerce worth? These are the questions I’m making an attempt to reply with a chunk like this. Most groups add and subtract a handful of gamers to their roster each offseason — some only one or two, others as many as 10. My goal with this train is to try to challenge what every crew’s roster will seem like when the deadline so as to add gamers arrives on Tuesday, or at the very least offer you an concept of the names I believe are prone to be on the desk for decision-makers to contemplate.
This challenge is accomplished by utilizing the RosterResource Depth Charts to look at present 40-man occupancy and roster make-up, after which weigh the younger, unrostered prospects who’re Rule 5 eligible in December in opposition to the least keepable present huge leaguers within the org to create a bubble for every roster. The larger and extra gifted the bubble, the extra crucial it’s for a crew to make a few trades to do one thing with their expertise overage quite than watch it stroll out the door for nothing within the Rule 5.
Beneath you’ll see every crew’s present 40-man depend, the gamers I view as locks to be rostered, the perimeter gamers presently on the roster whose spots really feel tenuous, and the extra marginal prospects who’ve an argument to be added however aren’t assured. I solely included full sections for the groups which have an apparent crunch or churn, with a paragraph of notes addressing the golf equipment with much less intricate roster conditions on the backside. I’ve the gamers listed from left to proper within the order I favor them, so the left-most names are the gamers I’d preserve, and right-most names are the fellows I’d be extra prone to lower. I’ve italicized the names of the gamers who I imagine fall beneath the lower line. As a reminder, gamers who signed at age 18 or youthful should be added to the 40-man inside 5 seasons to be shielded from the Rule 5, whereas these signed at age 19 or older should be added inside 4. Brendan Gawlowski examined the Nationwide League yesterday, so make sure to verify that out too. Let’s get to it.
Baltimore Orioles
Present Rely: 40
Should-Add Prospects: SIRP Anthony Nunez (chosen November 6)
Present 40-man Bubble: C Maverick Handley, C Alex Jackson, 1B Ryan Noda, and several other relievers
Fringe Prospects: SP Cameron Weston, MIRP Alex Pham, SIRP Cameron Foster, C/1B Creed Willems, CF Jud Fabian, OF Reed Trimble, relievers Gerald Ogando and Keagan Gillies, and some extra
Commerce Candidates: 1B/LF Ryan Mountcastle
I believe there’s loads of exercise looming on the perimeter of the Orioles’ 40-man roster as a result of sheer quantity of pitching prospects they’ve coming, the shortage of flexibility with their present energetic roster’s bullpen (take a look at what number of guys are out of choices), and at the very least partially due to their glut of catchers and first basemen. The massive league catcher/first base combine is already crowded (Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo, Coby Mayo and Mountcastle) earlier than we even get to Noda, Jackson, Handley and Willems. Mountcastle is getting funneled towards a primary base-only existence as a result of Tyler O’Neill opted into his deal. Whether or not or not Baltimore considers Mayo’s late-season surge to be actual would possibly dictate how they deal with Mountcastle, who’s getting into his contract yr. The latest additions of Leody Taveras and Pedro Leon make Fabian (who hit .186 in 2025 however can actually play middle subject) and Trimble (a extra balanced switch-hitter with 40- and 50-grade instruments) much less prone to be rostered.
Pitching-wise, conversion arm Anthony Nunez was added on November 6 (examine his fascinating journey right here), which wasn’t stunning, particularly after he was throwing even tougher in September, usually 95-97 mph. He would possibly play an enormous function in Baltimore’s 2026 bullpen. Weston is a low-slot starter who’ll play a spot begin function in 2026 and appears like a swingman long-term. Pham and Foster have vertical releases and assault with numerous breaking balls. Pham is extra about deception and command and has multi-inning expertise, whereas Foster is greatest when he can bully righties for an inning at a time.
Justin Armbruester (lat) and Juan Nuñez (shoulder) are gifted, however spent a lot of the yr injured and are in all probability far sufficient away from the real looking Rule 5 combine to not should be rostered, although it’s in all probability a good suggestion for scouting departs to establish whether or not both of them is throwing this offseason and the way they appear in that case. There are a pair different guys (Ogando, Yaqui Rivera, Yeiber Cartaya) who’ve good things however are too uncooked as strike-throwers for me to assume they’d stick on an enormous league roster subsequent spring by way of the Rule 5. Sayer Diederich is an Indy Ball signee who performed within the Arizona Fall League and appears like a future lefty specialist.
Boston Purple Sox
Present Rely: 40
Should-Add Prospects: None
Present 40-man Bubble: One or two of utilitymen David Hamilton and Nick Sogard, 1B Nathaniel Lowe, SP Cooper Criswell, 2B Vaughn Grissom, MIRP Chris Murphy
Fringe Prospects: SP David Sandlin, SP Hayden Mullins, SP Jedixson Paez (inj), SP Yordanny Monegro (inj), SP Dalton Rogers, OF Miguel Bleis, SIRP Caleb Bolden, OF Allan Castro, MIRP Jack Anderson, SIRP Eduardo Rivera
Commerce Candidates: OF Jarren Duran, 1B Triston Casas
Boston doesn’t have a crunch a lot as their roster is sort of imbalanced. Take a look at all of the younger, controllable pitching they’ve on their 40-man already (make sure to scroll to the minor league group) even earlier than any of this yr’s crop of candidates is added. It’s potential the Purple Sox will simply add a man or two from my checklist above and retain mainly all of their present place gamers, however I additionally contemplate them a candidate to commerce some pitching to handle their want at first base.
I like Paez as a prospect greater than I do Monegro, however I believe it’s extra vital for the Purple Sox to roster Monegro to guard him from the Rule 5 Draft this offseason. The timing of his 2025 Tommy John surgical procedure places him in line for a late-2026 return, probably a handy period of time for a membership to roster and retain him. Duran and Casas are listed as commerce candidates due to rumors from the deadline interval a number of months in the past.
Cleveland Guardians
Present Rely: 37
Should-Add Prospects: SS Angel Genao
Present 40-man Bubble: SS Brayan Rocchio, OF George Valera, OF Will Brennan, OF Johnathan Rodríguez, 1B Jhonkensy Noel, SIRP Zak Kent, OF Nolan Jones
Fringe Prospects: CF Kahlil Watson, SP Austin Peterson, SP Will Dion, SIRP Yorman Gómez, SP Ryan Webb, SS Jose Devers, SP Rodney Boone, OF Wuilfredo Antunez, INF Milan Tolentino, a number of extra strike-throwers with below-average stuff
Commerce Candidates: LF Steven Kwan
We’ve seen the Guardians flip over an enormous chunk of their 40-man earlier than, and this yr has an identical tone as we method the roster deadline. Most of the fellas on the 40-man bubble above have run dry of choices and easily haven’t produced within the huge league time they’ve been given. Nonetheless, they is likely to be saved by the relative dearth of choices developing from the minors. Devers can actually throw and play shortstop, however like Rocchio and others earlier than him, he lacks physicality and energy. Antunez and Tolentino have modest bodily instruments, however their swings are geared to launch (particularly Antunez, who averaged 23 levels in 2025).
Detroit Tigers
Present Rely: 40
Should-Add Prospects: C Thayron Liranzo
Present 40-man Bubble: SIRP Jack Little, SIRP Tyler Mattison, SIRP Chase Lee, SIRP Bailey Horn
Fringe Prospects: UTIL Trei Cruz, SIRP Trevin Michael, 2B/3B Hao-Yu Lee, SIRP RJ Petit, MIRP Jake Miller, SIRP Tanner Kohlhepp, SP Gabriel Reyes, 3B Izaac Pacheco, C Eduardo Valencia, MIRP Colin Fields, SP Joseph Montalvo
Commerce Candidates: Certainly one of Jahmai Jones or Andy Ibáñez
Detroit has a reasonably substantial crunch to wrangle as a result of their huge league pitching workers is already so deep, and some extra attention-grabbing (principally bullpen) arms are arriving. Additionally they don’t have a obvious weak point or depth problem on offense that they might handle by way of a handy swap for an arm or two, so they could as a substitute be available in the market to commerce for a younger prospect who’s a number of years away from the 40-man, particularly if their accomplice considers Detroit’s fringe pitching to be an energetic roster improve.
Liranzo, who got here from the Dodgers as a part of final yr’s Jack Flaherty commerce, didn’t have an superior season, however he’s nonetheless a college-aged, switch-hitting catcher with enormous energy from each side of the plate. It’s price him spending a purely developmental season on the 40-man in 2026. It might come as a shock to see Cruz forward of Lee right here, however Cruz’s switch-hitting capacity and defensive versatility (SS/3B/CF/LF) makes him straightforward to roster as a versatile bit participant. If lefty mashers Jahmai Jones and Andy Ibáñez keep on the roster, Lee is sort of redundant.
Lefty Jake Miller was slated to pitch within the Fall League however didn’t. He was hit by a line drive in September and didn’t pitch once more, although it’s unclear what was ailing him such that he didn’t submit in Arizona a month later. It’s robust to take him in Rule 5 him off of this yr’s restricted appears to be like, although I favored him in 2024 and thought he had an opportunity to complete 2025 as a High 100 prospect with a wholesome marketing campaign. Michael is forward of the opposite harder-throwing ‘pen arms right here as a result of his fastball’s angle offers it simply as a lot bat-missing capacity because the others, and his slider is the very best of the above group. Reyes is probably the most starter-y of the pitchers above, however he’s too younger and much away from the bigs to be somebody’s Rule 5 decide.
Kansas Metropolis Royals
Present Rely: 37
Should-Add Prospects: None
Present 40-man Bubble: 2B Michael Massey, OF MJ Melendez, SIRP Daniel Lynch IV, SIRP Taylor Clarke, OF Drew Waters, OF Dairon Blanco
Fringe Prospects: SS Daniel Vazquez, SP Ben Kudrna, OF Gavin Cross, C Luca Tresh, SIRP Brandon Johnson, SP Felix Arronde, SIRP Christian Chamberlain, 2B Javi Vaz, 2B Peyton Wilson, MIRP Chazz Martinez, 1B/OF Brett Squires
Commerce Candidates: None
The Royals pitching workers is deep sufficient that it has created a little bit of a crunch right here; there aren’t lots of their huge league relievers who I’d really feel snug slicing unfastened except for the couple listed above. Buying and selling for Giants pitcher Mason Black stacked one other identify in entrance of the younger arms listed above, and was why I now have Arronde on the skin of the lower line (he was solely at Excessive-A in 2025). Buying outfielder Kameron Misner from the Rays additionally crowds Kansas Metropolis’s outfield image, particularly among the many guys who can feasibly play middle subject. I’m forecasting turnover within the KC outfield combine, typically. Johnson sits 93-95 and wields a plus slider; he appears to be like like a reasonably normal righty center reliever.
I’ve Massey as a keeper right here as a result of I believe his energy offers him higher ceiling than Vaz and Wilson, however the Royals want to enhance their manufacturing at second base. None of these three are particularly versatile; Nick Loftin and Tyler Tolbert present that on KC’s energetic roster. With Maikel Garcia successfully appearing because the crew’s backup shortstop ought to something befall Bobby Witt Jr., having one other succesful shortstop defender on the 40-man is arguably much less vital for the Royals than for many different orgs. With solely their very own personnel in thoughts, perhaps it’d be okay to carry off on rostering the 21-year-old Vazquez, however his defensive capacity would possibly make him a horny Rule 5 goal for golf equipment that aren’t so shortstop wealthy.
New York Yankees
Present Rely: 35
Should-Add Prospects: SP Elmer Rodríguez, CF Spencer Jones, SIRP Allen Facundo
Present 40-man Bubble: SP Allan Winans, INF Jorbit Vivas, INF Braden Shewmake, SIRP Michael Arias
Fringe Prospects: SP Brendan Beck, 1B T.J. Rumfield, SP Chase Hampton (inj), SIRP Carson Coleman, SP Bailey Dees, SP Henry Lalane, SP Luis Serna, SIRP Geoffrey Gilbert, SIRP Danny Watson, SIRP Luis Velasquez
Commerce Candidates: None
New York has a ton of house and two apparent wants: beginning pitching depth and higher reserve infielders. Whereas the Yankees have their annual group of handsome younger pitchers to roster, they don’t have a succesful center infielder within the org who’d characterize a transparent improve to the fringy guys presently behind the starters. They’ve sufficient house on their roster that they could be discount looking on the margins as different groups make their cuts.
Briefly, on Facundo, who was damage for a lot of 2025 and didn’t pitch above Low-A throughout a well being second half: He’s a lower-slot 23-year-old lefty who has been as much as 100 with a plus upper-80s slider. It’s the sort of stuff that will play in the back of a bullpen had been he capable of maintain it for an entire yr. As he simply had an injury-riddled 2025, he is likely to be on an innings cap in 2026 anyway, so it wouldn’t be developmentally wasteful to speed up his promotion schedule and embrace a shift to the bullpen subsequent yr. If he isn’t rostered by the Yankees, one other crew would nearly definitely use a Rule 5 decide on him, even realizing he’s inexperienced and dangerous, simply to entry his upside.
Tampa Bay Rays
Present Rely: 40
Should-Add Prospects: None
Present 40-man Bubble: OF Richie Palacios, UTIL Christopher Morel, OF Everson Pereira, OF Tristan Peters, SIRP Forrest Whitley, SIRP Cole Sulser
Fringe Prospects: 2B Jadher Areinamo, C/1B Dominic Keegan, SIRP Alex Prepare dinner, SS Gregory Barrios, SP Logan Workman, SIRP Evan Reifert, SIRP Alexander Alberto, SP Marcus Johnson, 1B/2B/3B Cooper Kinney
Commerce Candidates: Any of the perimeter outfielders
The Rays have already designated a number of gamers for task to get their roster all the way down to 40 gamers, and but they’ve a reasonably attention-grabbing fringe group and a surplus of outfielders who they could but skinny out to make room for a pair extra additions, together with a 3rd catcher. The Rays have 10, depend ’em, 10 outfielders on their 40-man proper now, and although a few of them play a few different positions (like Morel and Ryan Vilade), the latest additions of Vilade and Jake Fraley point out that Tampa Bay wasn’t thrilled with its present group, which is maybe a sign {that a} couple extra tweaks are coming.
Texas Rangers
Present Rely: 35
Should-Add Prospects: SP David Davalillo, SS Cameron Cauley
Present 40-man Bubble: SIRP Josh Sborz, perhaps one among Michael Helman or Sam Haggerty
Fringe Prospects: SP Josh Stephan, 1B Abimelec Ortiz, SIRP Robby Ahlstrom, SP Leandro Lopez, SIRP Ismael Agreda, SIRP Gavin Collyer, SIRP Larson Kindreich, SIRP Wilian Bormie, SIRP Peyton Grey
Commerce Candidates: Adolis García
The Rangers have loads of vacant roster spots and will painlessly create a number of extra in the event that they determine to chop unfastened one among their 2025 huge league utilitymen, however in addition they have a large raft of ripening expertise creating stress on the margins of their roster. In Texas that is most true for the pitching workers, which wants depth. Davalillo is a lock to be added and must be one among Texas’ greatest 5 starters by the top of 2026. Stephan and Lopez are strike-throwers with backend stuff. The remainder of the pitchers within the fringe prospect group have good things, however are in all probability too wild to stay with a brand new crew by way of the Rule 5. Cauley’s match on protection makes him straightforward to swap with one among Helman or Haggerty.
Transient Notes On A Few Extra Groups
The Athletics have already outrighted a number of pitchers and are in higher place to roster each their seemingly apparent provides (Mason Miller commerce acquisition Braden Nett, plus Taiwanese strike-thrower Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang) in addition to their fringe ones (outfielder Clark Elliott and right-hander Kenya Huggins, the latter of whom has starter qualities however has barely pitched above Low-A). The Mariners have a reasonably full 40-man at this second (the RosterResource crew has their depend at 38), however in addition they don’t have many gamers they should add. Swap-hitting infielder Luis Suisbel is an attention-grabbing long-term power-hitting prospect who would possibly deserve a developmental spot; he’s on the perimeter. After him there are pitchers of two totally different flavors — strike-throwing starters Michael Morales and Marcelo Perez, and low-slot reduction righties Jimmy Kingsbury and Tyler Cleveland — who I wouldn’t be shocked to see added, although Seattle will in all probability solely go for one or two of these guys. The Angels solely have 34 guys on their roster in the intervening time, leaving them loads of house so as to add a stream of hard-throwing eventual relievers, the very best of whom are Walbert Urena, Joel Hurtado, after which Samy Natera Jr. and Keythel Key. Toronto has a number of injured pitchers (Ricky Tiedemann, Connor Cooke, T.J. Brock) whose timelines for return would possibly line up in such a approach that it’s handy for one more membership to make use of a Rule 5 decide on them. Outfielder Victor Arias is likely to be the lone Jays place participant who’s added.
Not Very Crunchy: Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros