Guardians’ Rule-5 Draft Prep for Fall 2026
· Yahoo Sports
Theoretically, the Guardians will be adding some prospects to their 40-man roster ahead of the November 20th deadline to do so. Who are the top candidates to get the good news?
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There are a fair amount of complicating factors to this year’s Rule-5 draft, in which players who signed at 18 years or younger and have been in a professioanl organization for five years or players who signed at 19 or older and have spent for years in a professional organization become eligible for any team to take if they are willing to add them to their 26-man roster and keep them there for a full season (or return them to their original team, if not). There will not be a Rule-5 draft in December due to the impending lockout to be imposed by MLB owners on the first of that month. Will there be one prior to the 2027 season, if there is one? There wasn’t a Rule-5 draft prior to the last season impacted by a lockout. Finally, are their players the Guardians will have to balance their desire to add them to the roster vs. the risk of them not being able to play in the minor leagues in 2027 if they are, indeed, added? Everyone on the 40-man roster will be unable to participate in minor-league play during a lockout.
I think the Guardians, and most MLB teams, will proceed as if there is going to be a Rule-5 draft because taking the risk that there will not be one is a big one when talking about the most valuable assets a team possesses – young, controllable talent. If you need a reminder of which Guardians’ prospects are eligible to be selected, I recommend TJStats excellent resource here. With that said, here are the players I believe the Guardians will add, and why:
Very Likely Adds:
Justin Campbell, RHP, 25 years-old – Campbell was one of the few bright spots in the Guardians’ minor league starting pitching last season with a 10.8/4.3 K/BB/9 and a 3.03 FIP, mostly at Columbus. Campbell did have a leg injury later in the year but still threw just short of 70 innings. I’d be shocked if they didn’t add him and have hopes he’ll get time in the major league rotation next season. After losing multiple years due to injuries, Campbell’s performances last year are one of the organizational highlights for the Guardians’ 2026 season.
Franklin Gomez, LHP, 21 years old – Gomez had a 3.90 FIP and a 9.64/3.13 K/BB/9 in 74.2 innings last season between High-A and Double-A for the Guardians. He also dealt with some sort of elbow injury but came back to pitch again before the season was done. As long as there are no huge red flags with his medicals, I’d guess they add Gomez because left-handers who seem to have potential to start in the big leagues are few and far between and the Guardians need all of that depth they can find.
Kody Huff, RHH C, will turn 26 in December – I get the sense that the Guardians really like Huff behind the plate and believe he can at least hit left-handed pitching reasonably well in the majors. For that reason, and Antonetti’s eugolic words about Austin Hedges at the end-of-season presser, I suspect Huff will pair with Patrick Bailey to begin next season. Huff had a 132 wRC+ at Columbus last season with a 19.5/14 K/BB%.
Jaison Chourio, SH OF, 21 years old – Chourio put up a 114 wRC+ between High-A and Double-A last season with a 20.5/14.5 K/BB%. Chourio still has a lot to prove to make himself a guy the Guardians are excited to make space for on the active roster, but he stole 42 bases last season, looks like he can play centerfield and has enough contact and plate discipline ability to give them hope he will gain some more power as he gets older. Chourio would be a tough player to have sit out a whole season (should that be in the cards), and maybe the Guardians gamble that a team won’t put him on their 26-man roster for a full season… but I suspect they take the safe route and add him.
Could Be Added:
Jacob Zibin, LHP, 21 years old – At High-A, Zibin put up a 3.70 ERA and a 10.47/3.70 K/BB/9. He also gave up a ton of homers. I find it pretty unlikely a team would carry Zibin on their roster for all of 2027, so I suspect the Guardians gamble that he will remain in the organization and get another minor-league season to develop.
Jack Jasiak, RHP, 25 years old – You can never absolutely dismiss the Guardians’ adding a reliever. I remember liking Cade Smith but being unsure the Guardians should be fearful of a team taking him in the Rule-5… man, I am glad they added him. Jasiak is not Cade Smith but he did put up an 11.75/2.54 K/BB/9 and a 3.02 ERA at Double-A before getting touched up a bit in eight innings in Columbus. Jasiak throws 94 mph, so I don’t think he’s the kind of pitcher you HAVE to add. Good organizational depth, but unlikely to be picked.
Jonah Advincula, LHH OF, turning 26 years old in December – Advincula put up a 124 wRC+ with a 14/16 K/BB/9 last year between High-A and Double-A. He’s an interesting left-field platoon depth guy. I don’t think the Guardians are in particular danger of another team snagging him, given his age.
Jogly Garcia, RHP, 23 years old – Garcia had a great 2025… then things fell apart for him at High-A last season with his walk-rate spiking up to 8 batters per nine. He can hit upper 90’s, but I don’t see much chance that another team would add him to their major league roster for a full season.
Magnus Ellerts, RHP, 25 years old – Ellerts averages 95 mph on his fastball and gets a lot of whiffs… he just can’t find the strike zone consistently. He’s 6 foot 5, and put up a 3.18 ERA with a 12.7/6.5 K/BB/9 in 2026. If there is a shock-add on this list, it’s probably Ellerts if the Guardians retain some optimism that they can help him refine control and command. But, it seems unlikely given his age that the improvements will be significant enough to make him a major league player.
Melkis Hernandez, LHP, 21 years old – You really can’t roster a player who walked 8 batters per 9 like Hernandez did in 2026 in High-A, but he is young, left-handed and did strike out 11 batters per 9 and only allow 8% of fly balls to be homers, so I have listed him here.
Tommy Hawke, LHH OF, 24 years old – Hawke only got 85 games in for 2026 as he continued to recover from a lower body injury, but he still stole 43 bases and put up a 117 wRC+ with a 17/17 K/BB%. He only made 25 of those starts in centerfield and I think a lot of his rosterability depends on what the team thinks of his potential as a defender in center. IF Hawke is seen as a viable major league centerfielder defensively, given his 108 stolen bases over the last two years, I really think the Guardians should add him and make him their version of Chandler Simpson (he IS only 5’8… not sure how much teams will fear the bat getting knocked out of his hands when he brings his contact skills to higher levels).
Matt Jahec, RHP, 25 years old – Jahec had one inning at Triple-A (it was bad) but put up a 2.05 ERA and a 12.3/3.4 K/BB/9 in 26 innings at Double-A while dealing with some injury issues. I think, like Jasiak, he is good organizational depth and unlikely to be rostered by another MLB organization for a full season.
The Guardians currently have three roster spots available, but may add more with non-tenders to players like Blake Perkins, Matt Festa or even David Fry.
So, what are your thoughts? Who would you add from these top eligible options ahead of a Rule-5 draft that will probably never happen? Let us know in the comments below.