What Prospects Must the Twins Protect From the 2026 Rule 5 Draft

[Cody Christie]

The Minnesota Twins have an interesting Rule 5 Draft decision approaching, but there are two reasons why this year's process might not be particularly demanding. The first involves the uncertainty surrounding Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement. The second is the relatively small group of prospects Minnesota needs to consider protecting.

The Rule 5 Draft is currently scheduled for December 9 as part of the annual Winter Meetings in San Diego. However, that date falls just over a week after the current collective bargaining agreement expires. With a potential lockout looming, there are legitimate questions about whether the draft will happen as scheduled.

Even if the event eventually takes place, the Twins don't have nearly as many difficult decisions as they did last offseason. One player from Twins Daily's top 20 prospect rankings is eligible, and only a handful of other players from the organization's top 50 merit serious consideration for a 40-man roster spot.

The Rule 5 Draft Faces an Uncertain Future

MLB's current collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 1. Unless the league and players' union reach a new agreement, a lockout could begin December 2. That would put the scheduled December 9 Rule 5 Draft directly in the middle of a potential work stoppage.

There is already a recent example of how a lockout can disrupt this process. During the previous labor stoppage in 2021, the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft was canceled. The Minor League portion was still conducted remotely, but teams did not get the usual opportunity to select players for their big-league rosters.

The same possibility exists this offseason. The scheduled Winter Meetings could be disrupted, and the Major League portion of the draft could be postponed or canceled. If that happens, teams could eventually revisit the process after a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.

That uncertainty makes it difficult to know exactly what the Rule 5 landscape will look like in December. However, Minnesota still needs to make its protection decisions before that uncertainty is resolved.

A Much Smaller Group of Twins Prospects

Last offseason, Minnesota added six prospects to its 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 protection deadline. Connor Prielipp, Andrew Morris, Kendry Rojas, John Klein, Gabriel Gonzalez, and Hendry Mendez all received protection.

The Twins could add a player or two this year, especially if they want to avoid losing someone with interesting upside. However, this year's group is considerably less imposing. Yasser Mercedes is the most intriguing name, while several other players have reached the upper levels of the organization without establishing themselves as must-protect prospects.

Here are some of the players worth monitoring.

Yasser Mercedes, OF, High-A Cedar Rapids

Mercedes is the most interesting prospect in this group and the only player eligible from Twins Daily's top 20 prospect rankings. The 21-year-old outfielder was ranked No. 19 in the organization's updated rankings. Minnesota originally signed Mercedes for $1.7 million during the 2022 international signing period. He has long possessed an intriguing combination of athleticism, power, speed, and arm strength. His development has been uneven, but the tools remain exciting.

Mercedes finished the 2026 season with a .249 batting average, 18 home runs, and 52 stolen bases. His overall .796 OPS shows some offensive production, although his numbers became less impressive after moving up to High-A. He still has plenty of work to do offensively, particularly when it comes to consistency against more advanced pitching.

He is the highest-upside player Minnesota needs to consider protecting. However, his developmental stage creates a difficult decision. A player selected in the Major League Rule 5 Draft must remain on the selecting club's active roster throughout the following season, barring certain exceptions. Mercedes might not be ready for that type of responsibility.

C.J. Culpepper, RHP, Triple-A St. Paul

Culpepper is an interesting pitching option after spending time as both a starter and reliever during the 2026 season. The 24-year-old right-hander was a 13th-round selection by Minnesota in 2022. Last year, he appeared in 42 games, recording 84 strikeouts across 79 2/3 innings. His 4.29 ERA and 1.46 WHIP aren't particularly impressive, but he has some intriguing stuff. His fastball regained velocity during the season, and his slider remains his best offering.

Culpepper reached Triple-A and transitioned into a relief role. That experience could make him more attractive to another organization looking for bullpen depth. Still, Minnesota would need to decide whether his overall profile warrants a 40-man roster spot.

Paulshawn Pasqualotto, RHP, Triple-A St. Paul

Pasqualotto is another potential bullpen option. The 25-year-old right-hander was selected in the 12th round of the 2023 MLB Draft and has steadily moved through the Twins' minor league system. He struck out 95 batters in 70 innings during the 2026 season while posting a 3.73 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. He pitched at three different levels, including a brief stint with the St. Paul Saints late in the season.

His strikeout numbers are encouraging, but he has limited experience against Triple-A competition. Pasqualotto has a chance to become an organizational bullpen option, although the Twins might prefer to see him continue developing before committing a 40-man roster spot.

Kala'i Rosario, OF, Triple-A St. Paul

Rosario is one of the more intriguing offensive players on this list. The 24-year-old outfielder has consistently shown power throughout his minor league career, and he continued that trend in 2026. He hit .260 with 22 home runs, 54 RBI, and an .845 OPS across the minor league season. His promotion to Triple-A went well, as he hit 11 home runs and posted a .913 OPS in 42 games with St. Paul.

Rosario has legitimate power potential, but there are questions about his ability to make consistent contact against advanced pitching. His performance at Triple-A gives the organization something to consider, especially with his age and experience. He is among the more realistic offensive candidates for a 40-man roster spot.

Tanner Schobel, INF, Triple-A St. Paul

Schobel was a competitive balance pick in the 2022 MLB Draft and entered professional baseball with plenty of expectations. He has spent much of his career developing as a middle infielder, but the offensive production has been inconsistent. The 25-year-old hit .228 with seven home runs and a .673 OPS during the 2026 season. He has some defensive versatility, but his offensive numbers don't make a particularly strong case for protecting him this offseason.

Schobel still provides organizational depth, but Minnesota has other infield options competing for opportunities. He would be a difficult player to justify adding to the 40-man roster.

Jake Rucker, INF, Triple-A St. Paul

Rucker is another experienced minor league infielder who could be part of the discussion. The 27-year-old was selected in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft and has continued working toward an opportunity in Minnesota. He hit .279 with 13 home runs, 40 RBI, and a .945 OPS in 219 at-bats during the 2026 season. Those numbers are impressive, although the limited sample size and his age are important considerations.

Rucker can provide some organizational depth, but he doesn't have the same long-term upside as younger players in this group. The Twins would likely need to see a more immediate big-league role before dedicating a roster spot to him.

Danny De Andrade, INF, Double-A Wichita

De Andrade is the youngest position player on this list at 22 years old. The infielder reached Double-A during the 2026 season and continued showing some power potential. He finished the year with a .239 batting average, 15 home runs, 52 RBI, and a .726 OPS. Those numbers aren't overwhelming, but his age and experience at the upper levels of the minor leagues make him worth monitoring.

De Andrade still has room to develop offensively, and the Twins could benefit from giving him additional time in the minors. He is an interesting depth prospect, but he isn't an obvious 40-man roster addition.

November 17 Is an Important Date

The Twins have considerably fewer difficult Rule 5 decisions than they did last offseason. Mercedes is the most intriguing prospect, while Rosario and the two Triple-A relievers provide some additional names worth discussing. However, none of these players represents an obvious must-protect decision.

Minnesota could still add one or two players to the 40-man roster for protection purposes. Mercedes is the highest-upside prospect, while Rosario's power production and the bullpen potential of Culpepper and Pasqualotto provide other possibilities.

The immediate deadline arrives November 17. That is also the deadline for free agents to accept or reject qualifying offers, making it an important date for the organization in multiple areas of its offseason planning.

The Twins have plenty of other roster decisions to make, particularly as they look to improve a team that needs additional talent. Fortunately, their Rule 5 decisions shouldn't require the same level of attention as last year's group. Between a potentially disrupted draft and a less impressive collection of eligible prospects, this could be a relatively quiet part of Minnesota's offseason.

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Will the Twins add any of these players to the 40-man roster later this month? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of CJ Culpepper)

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[Twins GFP]

None of the position players need to be protected, there is zero chance an MLB team will waste a roster spot for the entire year on them.

There is an argument for the pitchers, I believe they currently have 2 openings, so it would would work to protect them.

[MeleMouth]

Only Pasqualotto has the potential to be of value to the Twins this year and thus be possibly protected, unless you're overly worried about a bad team with a weak minor league system, like CIN, ATH, or perhaps even HOU, trying to roster Mercedes for a full year*. There are no imminent 2 WAR players here.

*Question: if the season is partially wiped out, does that lower the risk of taking a Rule V player, because rostering them for a "whole" season becomes a shorter duration?

[DJL44]

None need protection. They could add CJ Culpepper but it’s not that difficult to find talent to replace him.

[DJL44]

What players in other organizations could they add? There have to be some teams with more difficult decisions to make than the Twins.