Before Wednesday’s deadline to protect players ahead of December’s MLB Rule 5 Draft, the Chicago Cubs have added four players to their 40-man roster.
Pitcher Tyson Miller, infielder Zack Short, catcher Miguel Amaya, and pitcher Manuel Rodriguez were all added to the team’s 40-man roster, according to a press release, and will be protected from other teams during the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 12.
Amaya appeared in 99 games for the Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans this season, blasting 11 home runs and driving in 57 RBI’s in those games. He batted .235, but posted a .351 on-base percentage in those contests.
Miller, a fourth-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, made 26 starts in Double-and-Triple-A last season for the Cubs, posting a combined 4.35 ERA and a 7-8 record in those games. He had a strong start in West Tennessee, with a 2.56 ERA in 15 starts, but struggled with Triple-A Iowa after his July promotion, with a 7.58 ERA in 11 starts.
Rodriguez, a reliever, made 35 appearances with Myrtle Beach last season, striking out 65 batters in 47 innings.
Short was hampered by injuries last season, but managed to hit six home runs and drive in 25 RBI’s with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
With the moves, the Cubs’ 40-man roster stands at 36 players.
Chicago Baseball
In December’s Rule 5 Draft, eligible players can be selected from each team’s roster, but the selecting team must keep that player on their 25-man roster throughout the 2020 season. They must also pay the affected team $50,000, according to MLB rules.
If the team wants to send that player to the minor leagues, they must offer him back to the team they drafted him from at a cost of $25,000. If the original team declines, then the player must clear waivers in order to remain with his new team.
