Which Washington Nationals prospects are vulnerable in the Rule 5 Draft?

"The offseason approaches, and with that comes the Winter Meetings and the annual Rule 5 Draft. Every December, teams around MLB are given the chance to draft players from other organizations who are not placed on their team's 40-man secondary roster. The drafting team may keep that player as long as they remain on the major league roster for the entire length of the season."

"Left-hander Jake Bennett was drafted by the Nationals in the second round of the amateur draft in 2022 out of Oklahoma. Ranked the no. 10 prospect in the Nationals system by MLB Pipeline, the big 6'6" southpaw ran a 3.14 ERA in 15 starts across the lower levels of the minors in 2023 before needing to undergo Tommy John surgery at the end of the year."

Major League teams may lose unprotected minor-league players in the annual Rule 5 Draft each December unless those players are added to a 40-man roster. Players signed at age 18 or younger become eligible after five seasons if unprotected; players signed at 19 or older become eligible after four seasons. Organizations must select contracts to their 40-man roster by November 18 to shield eligible players from selection. Jake Bennett, a 2022 second-round pick, missed 2024 after Tommy John surgery but returned in 2025 and posted a 2.27 ERA across three levels. Bennett features a lower-90s sinker, a strong changeup, an average slider, and a 45 FV projection, making him a likely roster protectee.

Read at District on Deck