3 Rule 5 Draft prospects the Pittsburgh Pirates should have on their radar

Many minor leaguers who performed exceptionally well this season were left off 40-man rosters ahead of the deadline for protecting players in advance of the Rule 5 Draft. With the Pittsburgh Pirates having the fifth pick in the draft, they’ll have a good portion of the field available for them to select from (and the top two teams might pass). Finding a good player from the Rule 5 Draft is finding a diamond in the rough. However, these three prospects could be exactly that for the Pirates.

Of course, sometimes teams pass because the claiming team is forced to use an active roster spot on the player they claim all year long (while healthy) or risk returning the player to their original team. But these three prospects should be enticing enough to convince the Pirates to try.

3 Rule 5 Draft-eligible prospects the Pittsburgh Pirates should keep on their radar

RHP Yondrei Rojas

Ben Cherington loves his prospects from the Toronto Blue Jays, and Yondrei Rojas is a reliever who the Jays left unprotected. Signed out of Venezuela during the 2020-2021 offseason, Rojas started his career out as a starter/reliever hybrid, but struggled and couldn’t find a consistent groove. Rojas transitioned to the bullpen full-time in 2024 and had a massive breakout in 2025.

The right-hander was absolutely lights out, with a 1.43 ERA, 2.19 FIP, and 0.88 WHIP over 37.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. He struck out nearly a third of his opponents with a 32.4% K%, and allowed walks at a strong 7.6% rate. Home runs were a complete non-issue as well. Rojas allowed just a single long ball, with a ground ball percentage coming in at 53.5%.

Overall, Rojas was one of the minor leagues' most dominant relievers. Among minor league hurlers who made one or fewer starts and tallied 30 or more innings, he ranked 15th in ERA and FIP, as well as 19th in WHIP. His 24.8% K%-BB% was also the 26th best mark in the minors. He was one of only eight pitchers with an ERA under 1.50 and a K%-BB% of at least 22%.

According to Baseball America, Rojas’ primary pitch, his mid-90s cutter, put up an astounding 142 Stuff+ last season. It’s his most used offering by far, but he’ll mix in a mid-90s sinker, along with a changeup and sweeper. Among his four-pitch mix, the only offering that didn’t induce a whiff rate of at least 30% was his sweeper. Rojas’ stuff alone should put him into consideration for the Pirates if he’s still available when they are up to pick, let alone the fact that he was outright dominant in 2025.

LHP Andrew Walling

Andrew Walling was an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022. Since getting his first extended look at the professional level the following season in 2023, the left-handed relief prospect has consistently put up quality numbers and an improving walk rate. The 2025 campaign was Walling’s best season yet, and given the Pirates’ need for left-handed relief depth, they could look at Walling as a potential pick.

Walling tallied 47.2 innings between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A this past season, working to a 3.97 ERA, 3.17 FIP, and 1.24 WHIP. The southpaw struck out just over a quarter of his opponents, sporting a 25.8% K%. Walling got plenty of ground balls, which helped him keep the ball in the park, with a 54.8% GB% and a HR/9 of 0.38. Free passes have continued to be less of a problem for Walling. His 10.5% was a career-best mark, and marked a significant step forward from the 12% rate he had in 2024.

Walling isn’t an overpowering pitcher, but he utilizes three different pitches with good movement. His low-90s cutter is his primary pitch, and it has both above-average vertical and horizontal movement. The left-hander’s mid-80s slider is another offering that he can throw with good horizontal and vertical break. His four-seam fastball is his least-used offering, and while it doesn’t have as good a movement profile as his cutter or slider, he can still sit mid-90s with the pitch. 

Walling has a 6’2”, 220-pound frame with a whippy arm delivery. As of right now, the Pirates’ only left-handed relievers on the 40-man roster are Evan Sisk and Tyler Samaniego. While adding Walling would mean three rookie lefty relievers, the Pirates would be betting on the upside that at least one of the trio would become a quality MLB player. 

INF/OF Felix Reyes

One of the best-performing Double-A hitters will be in the Rule 5 Draft pool this December. Felix Reyes was a 2019-2020 international signee by the Phillies, and he batted .331/.365/.572 with a .416 wOBA and 160 wRC+ over 395 plate appearances at Double-A. Reyes went yard 15 times with an ISO of .237. On top of that, he was also a threat to steal, with 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts. While Reyes’ 4.6% walk rate was poor, he only struck out 15.4% of the time.

There were 214 batters at Double-A with at least 300 plate appearances. Among those 214, Reyes led them in batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, and wRC+, with the second-best wOBA and the seventh-best ISO. While his on-base percentage and strikeout rate were not among the best, they were still well above average. Reyes’ walk rate was 4.6%, the third lowest mark among Double-A hitters.

Reyes is an option at multiple different positions. He can play both left and right field, along with third and first base. He is a right-handed batter who put up exceptional numbers vs left-handed pitching. He slashed .371/.406/.685, albeit in far less playing time than he put up against righties. With Spencer Horwitz at first base, who hits right-handed pitching much better than left-handed pitching, the Pirates could utilize Reyes as a right-handed hitting platoon partner when he’s not seeing time in left field.

Reyes did see some action at Triple-A, but it was only six games' worth. If he is still available when the Pirates are on the clock, it would be hard not to at least consider taking arguably Double-A’s best hitter in 2025, especially when he can fill a need, platooning at first base with Horwitz, and helping out the Pirates’ corner outfield depth.