Dodger minor leaguers Connor Joe, Drew Jackson selected in Rule 5 Draft
by Rowan Kavner
The Dodgers lost catcher/infielder Connor Joe to the Reds and infielder Drew Jackson to the Phillies during today’s Rule 5 Draft. Joe was then dealt to the Orioles for international signing bonus slot money.
Teams with space on their 40-man roster were eligible to participate in the draft, which took place on the final day of the Winter Meetings. Held each December, the Rule 5 Draft allows clubs to select players from other clubs who aren’t on a 40-man roster.
Though listed as a catcher, Joe has not yet logged any time at the position. Between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, Joe hit .299/.408/.527 with 17 home runs in 2018 while playing mostly at the corner infield spots. The 26-year-old former first-round pick of the Pirates was traded from Atlanta to Los Angeles in September 2017.
Jackson spent all of last season at Double-A Tulsa, hitting .251/.356/.447 with 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases. The 25-year-old former fifth-round pick of the Mariners was acquired by the Dodgers in March 2017 along with pitcher Aneurys Zabala in exchange for pitcher Chase De Jong.
Rule 5 Draft — Major League phase
Round 1
1. Orioles: SS Richie Martin (A’s)
2. Royals: RHP Sam McWilliams (Rays)
3. White Sox: RHP Jordan Romano (Blue Jays)
4. Marlins: RHP Riley Ferrell (Astros)
5. Tigers: RHP Reed Garrett (Rangers)
6. Reds: C Connor Joe (Dodgers)
7. Rangers: RHP Chris Ellis (Cardinals)
8. Giants: LHP Travis Bergen (Blue Jays)
9. Blue Jays: RHP Elvis Luciano (Royals)
10. Mets: RHP Kyle Dowdy (Indians)
11. Phillies: SS Drew Jackson (Dodgers)
12. D-backs: RHP Nick Green (Yankees)
13. Mariners: RHP Brandon Brennan (Rockies)
Round 2
14. Giants: CF Andrew Ferguson (Astros)
Players who signed at 18 years old or younger and have played professionally for at least five years (or who signed at 19 or older and have played professionally at least four years) are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft.
Teams who make a pick in the draft must pay $100,000 to the club from which the player was selected, so the Dodgers will receive $200,000 for the two players selected from their system during the Major League phase of the draft. Rule 5 Draft picks are assigned to the drafting club’s 25-man roster and must be placed on outright waivers to be removed. If the player clears waivers, the player must then be offered back to his previous team for $50,000.
If a club traded a player selected in the Rule 5 Draft, as the Reds did with Joe, the same Rule 5 player restrictions apply to the player’s new organization.
