Guardians Dragging Their Feet on Crucial Roster Move
Rosters across MLB are in flux with free agency underway. However, Tuesday's Rule 5 Draft protection deadline will also shake up each organization, as they'll see a number of prospects become eligible to be stolen by another team at December's event.
Top Cleveland Guardians prospect Daniel Espino should be a shoo-in to receive protection, yet he's on uneven ground ahead of the deadline.
📢 40-man deadline: Curious to know which prospects are scoring coveted roster spots? Get the lowdown on the Rule 5 Draft and the protected players for 2023! Check out the full blog post here: https://t.co/LZdrJKP7Q4
— GHT⚾️24*7*365 (@GHTMLB) November 9, 2023
As of writing at 11:30 a.m. ET, Espino has not been moved to the Guardians' 40-man roster. That leaves him unprotected, and it'd make him eligible for the Rule 5 Draft if his status doesn't change.
Obviously there's still a ton of time for Cleveland to make that move ahead of the 6 p.m. ET cutoff, but the fact the front office is taking until the last second is notable. Espino is just one of five top-100 prospects who haven't been elevated to their team's 40-man rosters yet.
Considering Espino is the Guardians' No. 3-ranked youngster, fans would assume he'd already be locked into sticking with the team. Yet, his uncertain status right now opens the door for a number of possibilities.
That includes a potential trade, as MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported late Monday night that talks are "picking up across the industry" in regards to prospects.
Sources: @MLB trade talks picking up across industry before Tuesday 6 pm ET deadline to set reserve lists for Rule 5 Draft.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 14, 2023
Clubs are pursuing trades to (a) clear space on 40-man rosters to protect eligible prospects or (b) trade the prospects they won't protect. @MLBNetwork
Espino should have no shortage of suitors despite missing the entire 2023 season due to shoulder surgery. His fastball has been clocked over 100 MPH, and he's got a slider, a changeup and a curveball in his arsenal as well. He's also just 22 years old, and since he's never played about Double-A, there's plenty of unearthed potential waiting to be tapped.
Whatever Cleveland's hesitancy is, whether it's health-related or due to trade interest, the team will have to make a decision on the talented flamethrower fast.
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