Padres Roster Movement

The Padres added right-handed pitchers Simon Castro, Brandon Gomes, Jeremy Hefner and Evan Scribner, outfielder Cedric Hunter, catcher Luis Martinez and infielder Jeudy Valdez. All the players were placed on the 40 man roster so that they could avoid being claimed in the Rule 5 Draft.

Simon Castro was rated the second best prospect in the Padres Organization and looks to start the season in AAA this year.

Rule 5 Draft:
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to have them play in the majors. The Rule 5 Draft is named for its place in The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book.

If chosen in the Rule 5 draft, a player must be kept on the selecting team’s 25-man major league roster for the entire season after the draft—he may not be optioned or designated to the minors. The selecting team may, at any time, waive the Rule 5 draftee. If a Rule 5 draftee clears waivers by not signing with a new MLB team, he must be offered back to the original team, effectively canceling the Rule 5 draft choice. Once a Rule 5 draftee spends an entire season on his new team’s 25-man roster, his status reverts to normal and he may be optioned or designated for assignment.

Players Selected in Rule 5 Draft:
The most recent player the Padres have selected in the Rule 5 Draft was SS Evereth Cabrera in 2008 from the Colorado Rockies. Cabrera added a lot of energy to the team that year and struggled last year through injury. The Padres have 39 players on their roster at this point and have the flexibility to add another player through the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

Here is a look at the stats for the players the Padres chose to move onto the 40 man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.

Simon Castro
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6′ 5″, Weight: 210 lb.

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Brandon Gomes
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 5′ 11″, Weight: 175 lb.

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Jeremy Hefner
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6′ 4″, Weight: 215 lb.
Born: March 11, 1986 in Perkins, Oklahoma, US

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Evan Scribner
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6′ 3″, Weight: 190 lb.
Born: July 19, 1985 in New Britain, Connecticut, US

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Cedric Hunter
Bats: Left, Throws: Left
Height: 6′ 0″, Weight: 185 lb.
Born: March 10, 1988 in Decatur, Georgia, US

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Luis Martinez
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6′ 0″, Weight: 210 lb.
Born: April 3, 1985 in Lebanon, Tennessee, US

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Jeudy Valdez
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 5′ 11″, Weight: 155 lb.
Born: May 5, 1989 in Bani, DO

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table