This Orioles Prospect At Risk of Rule 5 Draft Selection
The Baltimore Orioles had one Top 30 prospect to protect from the Rule 5 Draft and chose not to.
As one might expect, there’s a fair chance the Orioles could lose that prospect — outfielder Hudson Haskin — in next month’s draft in Nashville.
Baseball America put together an analysis of the prospect most likely to be selected as part of the draft. Haskin made the list as what the site called a “toolsy outfielder.”
Haskin is the Orioles’ No. 17 prospect per MLB.com.
Haskin was the Orioles’ second-round pick in 2020 and he’s produced three quality minor-league seasons as he’s reached the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk.
Last season he slashed .287/.394/.443/.837 with three home runs and 20 RBI in 33 games, as he missed a good chunk of the season due to injuries.
But, in 2022 at Double-A he slashed .264/.367/.455/.822 with 15 home runs and 56 RBI.
Haskin’s biggest issue with the Orioles is playing time. He’s at the doorstep of the Majors, but the O’s have three starting outfielders under contract — Anthony Santander, Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins.
The O’s also have two top outfield prospects in Heston Kjerstad and Colton Cowser.
To Baseball America, Haskin needs a place to play:
Haskin has shown enough impact with the bat and defensive value that he could potentially stick on an MLB roster devoid of outfield depth and versatility.
The Rule 5 Draft, or the Winter Meeting Draft, will take place on Dec. 6 in Nashville.
For teams that draft a player in the Rule 5 Draft, they must pay $100,000 to the player’s club, put him on their 26-man roster immediately and put him out outright waivers if they release him the following season. If he clears waivers, he goes back to his former team for $50,000.
