In preparation for next month's Rule 5 draft on the final day of the winter meetings, the Red Sox added five players to their 40-man roster on Wednesday, precluding them from being exposed to other teams.
As a basic guideline, players are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft if they signed at 18 or younger and have been in the organization for five years. Players who signed at 19 or older need to be protected after four years.
Teams selecting players in the Rule 5 draft must keep them on the 40-man roster (or I.L.) for the entire season, or offer them back to the organization from which they were drafted.
The Sox began the day with 34 players on their 40-man roster. Added to the roster were:
- INF Bobby Dalbec
- INF C.J. Chatham
- OF Marcus Wilson
- LHP Kyle Hart
- LHP Yoan Aybar
Rafael
Devers
Xander Bogaerts
Blake Swihart
J.D. Martinez
Brock Holt
Triston Casas, Jarren Duran, Bryan Mata, Jay Groome
Tanner Houck
- 1B Josh Ockimey
- RHP Edward Bazardo