Trading Rule 5 players

bsloan14 · 08-01-2017, 12:22 PM

Just curious, are there any repercussions for teams drafting rule 5 players and then trading them away for other prospects/players?

I did a little research and it sounds like teams are free to trade rule 5 picks away after drafting them and that the rules just get carried over to the rule 5 player's new team (if they don't keep on active roster he gets sent back to original team).

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/rule_5.jsp?mc=faq

I know OOTP allows it as well but I'm a little surprised teams in real life (and OOTP) don't abuse this by drafting rule 5 players and flip them for other prospects (other than the fact that the rule 5 players carry pretty low value since they have to be on active roster)...worse case is they get drafted and then if you can't trade them away or don't keep them on your active roster/DL they just get sent back to previous team.

I usually take a flyer on a rule 5 draft pick or two and see how they perform in spring training...and if they don't pan out i just release them back to their old team or try to trade them away for anything I can get since I got him for "free" anyway

Just wondering how others treat the rule 5?

eternal · 08-01-2017, 04:30 PM

In real life most teams are not interested in the rule 5 because they're not blatantly tanking (the Padres this year might be an exception, picking 3 players) and real life GMs' roster management is much better than the OOTP AI, so the rule 5 eligible types are either fringe prospects, or guys with some potential upside who are some distance away from MLB - most of the successful rule 5 picks in history were liabilities in their first MLB season, so your point about them having low trade value is accurate

It looks like the Padres traded some kind of non-prospect for one of their rule 5 picks this year. In other cases it's typically just cash considerations (on top of the $50,000 paid to make the pick) - I remember Josh Hamilton was one of these. These trades are always arranged on the day of the draft because nobody wants to waste time/money picking a player nobody wants.

Basically the rule 5 is much more abusable in OOTP than IRL but it's mostly due to AI roster management/player valuation.

bwburke94 · 08-04-2017, 03:13 AM

Trade AI now takes Rule 5 draftee status into account, so there are no problems here.

08-01-2017, 12:22 PM	#1
bsloan14 Bat Boy Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 8	Trading Rule 5 players Just curious, are there any repercussions for teams drafting rule 5 players and then trading them away for other prospects/players? I did a little research and it sounds like teams are free to trade rule 5 picks away after drafting them and that the rules just get carried over to the rule 5 player's new team (if they don't keep on active roster he gets sent back to original team). http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/rule_5.jsp?mc=faq I know OOTP allows it as well but I'm a little surprised teams in real life (and OOTP) don't abuse this by drafting rule 5 players and flip them for other prospects (other than the fact that the rule 5 players carry pretty low value since they have to be on active roster)...worse case is they get drafted and then if you can't trade them away or don't keep them on your active roster/DL they just get sent back to previous team. I usually take a flyer on a rule 5 draft pick or two and see how they perform in spring training...and if they don't pan out i just release them back to their old team or try to trade them away for anything I can get since I got him for "free" anyway Just wondering how others treat the rule 5?

08-01-2017, 04:30 PM	#2
eternal Minors (Single A) Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 57	In real life most teams are not interested in the rule 5 because they're not blatantly tanking (the Padres this year might be an exception, picking 3 players) and real life GMs' roster management is much better than the OOTP AI, so the rule 5 eligible types are either fringe prospects, or guys with some potential upside who are some distance away from MLB - most of the successful rule 5 picks in history were liabilities in their first MLB season, so your point about them having low trade value is accurate It looks like the Padres traded some kind of non-prospect for one of their rule 5 picks this year. In other cases it's typically just cash considerations (on top of the $50,000 paid to make the pick) - I remember Josh Hamilton was one of these. These trades are always arranged on the day of the draft because nobody wants to waste time/money picking a player nobody wants. Basically the rule 5 is much more abusable in OOTP than IRL but it's mostly due to AI roster management/player valuation. Last edited by eternal; 08-01-2017 at 04:37 PM.

08-04-2017, 03:13 AM	#3
bwburke94 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belchertown, MA, USA Posts: 4,507	Trade AI now takes Rule 5 draftee status into account, so there are no problems here.