This Year’s Rule 5 Draft Produced Some Gems
There were some steals in this year's Rule 5 draft, and these two players are thriving with their new ball clubs.
It takes a special type of baseball fan to get excited each December about the Rule 5 draft and what prospects are left unprotected by their teams.
That is me — I am that special type.
While the 2024 Rule 5 class was not star-studded, there were still some interesting names left unprotected that were going to make an impact for teams in 2025.
To kick off the draft, the Chicago White Sox selected a player from another organization to help improve their roster that was the league’s worst in 2024. The player they selected was a head-scratcher to some, but boy has it paid off for them in a big way.
Shane Smith has been a revelation for the White Sox. While they may have selected him with the thought that he would just be able to eat innings for them out of the bullpen, Smith has been arguably one of the better pitchers in the American League so far.
Wait, there’s another!
After being dealt by the Rangers to the Tigers at last year’s deadline, Liam Hicks was left unprotected by Detroit and has found a new home in Miami serving as the Opening Day backup catcher for the Marlins.
There is a reason why teams decide to leave certain players unprotected when making difficult roster decisions ahead of the Rule 5 draft. But every once in a while, some players will make those teams regret it when they show flashes of creating a successful career out of their new opportunity.
Shane Smith (RHP) – Chicago White Sox
57.0 IP, 2.68 ERA, 3.67 FIP, 54 Ks
Shane Smith has gotten off to an incredible start with the White Sox. As a matter of fact, he just recently joined former White Sox lefty Chris Sale with the lowest ERA through his first 10 starts in White Sox history.
After being signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, the White Sox decided that Smith was going to be their selection with the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 draft.
Prior to his last start on May 28, Smith was 12th in the league in ERA and 20th in opponent batting average. He also had an fWAR of 1.2 and ranks in the 80th percentile in barrel rate in all of MLB.
The White Sox sure did identify a gem in Smith with that Rule 5 selection. While they strive to further identify what their roster will look like as they enter the next phase of their rebuild, Smith is making his case to be a part of that rotation going forward.
Liam Hicks (C) – Miami Marlins
35G, .269/.349/.462, 4 HRs, 22 RBIs, 124 wRC+, 0.7 fWAR
It was not long after Smith was selected that Liam Hicks would have to wait to hear his name called.
After the Rockies decided to pass on their selection at No. 2, the Marlins jumped on the opportunity to select the left-handed hitting catcher from the Tigers and allow him to win the backup job behind Nick Fortes to begin the 2025 season.
And to put it plainly, Hicks is running away with it.
Coming in, Hicks was known for his well-disciplined approach at the plate, gap-to-gap power, and the ability to drive in runners in scoring position at a high rate. While the defense left a little to be desired, the Marlins trusted their newly revamped development system to be able to maximize the talent.
He has taken every opportunity that his new home has given him. Even now, with the torrid start to Agustín Ramírez’s career, the Marlins want to keep Hicks’ bat in the lineup any way possible.
That is being made quite clear, as the ball club is now giving him pregame reps at first base to try and fill the hole that was left at the position following the team’s recent decision to DFA Matt Mervis.
What was once a grim situation for quite some time, the future of the Marlins’ catching position has arguably never been better.
Written by