The Rule 5 Draft is nearing and the Boston Red Sox should be active. They'll surely eye attractive picks around the league, as well as protect some of their most intriguing prospects who would otherwise be claimed by other clubs.
Don’t be surprised if they lose a few names in the draft, as well as add someone. They’ve seen recent success with Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten, who were both Rule 5 selections.
It’s impossible to determine who will be selected in a Rule 5 Draft this early because teams are going to protect players (putting them on their 40-man roster), and other teams will have a chance to make selections as well.
Instead, we’re going to look at who the Red Sox could protect, who they will most likely lose, and some wild cards. SoxProspects is a fantastic source, as they have a list of the players in Boston’s organization who are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this year. Let’s start with the player who feels like a lock to be protected.
The Red Sox are likely to protect David Sandlin from this year's Rule 5 Draft, but will anyone else be added to the 40-man roster?
The Red Sox have a few players that could be selected if they aren’t protected. Of those players, right-handed pitcher David Sandlin stands alone as a near lock to be protected. The only way Boston doesn’t put Sandlin on their 40-man roster is if he’s traded before the draft.
Sandlin reached Triple-A last year, where he looked good his first few times out. However, he was moved to the bullpen with the hopes that he could help the Red Sox with their postseason push. Sandlin struggled as a reliever, but it’s safe to assume he’ll be back in a starter role to start the 2026 season.
The righty can hit 100 MPH with his fastball and has some intriguing off-speed stuff. Consistency and control have hurt Sandlin in the past, but he had a long stretch of success in 2025.
Whether the Red Sox view Sandlin as a trade piece or as a legitimate part of 2026 and beyond, he’s far too valuable to just lose in the Rule 5 Draft. To make room for him, Boston has a few options. It could move on from Nathaniel Lowe or Vaughn Grissom. More likely, it will be a pitcher, though. Josh Winckowski feels like the most likely move.
After Sandlin, things become murky. The Red Sox have to worry about a lot of prospects being selected. Tyler Uberstine will almost certainly be taken, but will Boston clear room to add him to the 40-man roster? Alex Hoppe, Shane Drohan, Noah Song, and Jeremy Wu-Yelland are all pitchers in legitimate danger of being selected, but there's no chance the Sox will remove enough players from the roster to protect all of them (nor should they).
Hayden Mullins didn’t make it to Triple-A in 2025, but he’s another player who could be claimed. The Red Sox likely won’t protect him (they would’ve given him some time in Worcester if they felt strongly about him), but he’s got too much potential for another team not to take a chance on.
Yordanny Monegro is also likely to be selected. The right-handed pitcher dominated Double-A before suffering injury in mid-June that forced him to get Tommy John surgery. That puts him in the same situation Angel Bastardo was in last year, and he was taken. Monegro is a better prospect than Bastardo and was producing better. It’s hard to envision him being safe.
Offensively, you have to worry about Nathan Hickey a bit. Miguel Bleis and Allan Castro ended their seasons in Double-A, but a desperate (and bad) team could pull the trigger.
The Red Sox will protect Sandlin, and it wouldn't be shocking to see them add Uberstine to the 40-man, as well. After that, everyone is a question mark.