Today marks the deadline for MLB teams to add players on the 40 man rosters to protect from the Rule 5 Draft. For those unfamiliar with the Rule 5 Draft it’s a occurs during the Winter Meetings where teams can select players from any team that meets one of the following criteria:
Player was 18 years old when they signed, have played five years of professional baseball, and not on the 40 man roster.
Player was 19 years older when they signed, have played four years of professional baseball, and not on the 40 man roster.
This was the process the Jays were able to obtain the Biagini. Like Biagini, the Jays had to pay $50,000 to the Giants to obtain him and had to keep him on the 40 man all season long. Fortunately for the Jays, Biagini was amazing and it was pretty easy decision to keep him on the 40 man all season long.
With all the free agents leaving this season placing players on the 40 man was not really a problem. This year the Jays decided to add the following prospects on this list:
Blue Jays add LHP Ryan Borucki, OF Anthony Alford and IF Richard Urena to their 40-man roster ahead of Rule 5 Draft.
— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling)
Since every team are making room on their 40 man many players have been placed on waivers. The Jays have decided to claim the following players:
#BlueJays claim RHP Leonel Campos from San Diego. Earlier today they claimed another RHP, Dominic Leone from Arizona.
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith)
However the Jays were not done:
Blue Jays back-up catcher Josh Thole has cleared outright waivers and is now a free agent
— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling)
We all kinda knew this was coming. With Dickey gone there was no longer any need to have Thole around. I have never been a fan of Thole as a player but he seems like a really good dude so I really hope Atlanta decides to pick him up.
Lastly the Jays finally made the Morales signing official.
It’s official! Welcome to the @BlueJays, Kendrys Morales! pic.twitter.com/6F1d4a2FfX
It’s been almost a week but there’s no turning back now I guess.
So that’s that for Transaction Friday. Many this front office of consistency isn’t it?