With Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) set to expire on December 1, a scenario has emerged that could give more playing time to Philadelphia Phillies prospects in the minor leagues in 2027.
Any lockout means that each player on an MLB 40-man roster cannot access team facilities. That means even if minor league teams continue to play, prospects on the Phillies’ expanded roster would be ineligible to continue their development this summer.
Prospects on the 40-man roster right now are limited to Moisés Chace and Gabriel Rincones Jr., but to protect players from the Rule 5 draft, the Phillies would likely add Rule 5-eligible players Wen-Hui Pan, Bryan Rincon, Keaton Anthony, and Aroon Escobar.
The Rule 5 Draft could be canceled entirely
However, a lockout would add an interesting wrinkle to these cases. The last lockout, in 2022, canceled the Rule 5 draft, and it was never rescheduled. If that happens again this year, the Phillies could avoid placing those players on the 40-man roster, letting them continue to develop in the system next summer if the lockout spills into spring.
The precedent of not rescheduling the draft could lead the Phillies to ignore the situation entirely. But what happened one year doesn’t necessarily guarantee it will happen again. Consider what would happen if the lockout is resolved as early as January. There would be plenty of time to reschedule the Winter Meetings (where the Rule 5 Draft is held annually).
Losing any of Pan, Rincon, Anthony, or Escobar because the team risked leaving them unprotected
would be a disaster. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is so bullish on Rincon that he mentioned him as someone who could contribute to the Major League club as early as next year.
The 22-year-old from New York City hit .267/.410/.517, stole 30 bases, and hit 26 home runs in Double-A last year. He has superstar potential. Is it worth sacrificing his minor-league development by leaving him unprotected?
To avoid the confusion this situation will inevitably cause, Major League Baseball must address it before the lockout severs lines of communication.
Sure, it’s a minor grievance compared to the salary cap and salary floor, but it should be easy to fix. There’s no reason ballclubs across the league shouldn’t be granted amnesty on the November 17 deadline to protect players. If the lockout could cancel the Rule 5 Draft, MLB should prioritize postponing that deadline until December 1, the day the CBA expires. That way, teams aren’t left in limbo, unsure whether to take a costly risk regarding an uncertain resolution.
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