Rule 5 Draft and the Yankees Bullpen

The Rule 5 Draft decisions come down today and the New York Yankees bullpen will be the focus of the team before the deadline. New York has four potential Rule 5 eligible players that could be slated into the bullpen as soon as 2015 that they will either protect or leave unprotected in Mark Montgomery, Danny Burawa, Branden Pinder, and maybe Matt Tracy. The Yankees have four roster spots open on the 40 man roster and presumably the Yankees will fill all four spots this afternoon but how many will be relief pitchers?

You have to assume that the Yankees will carry 13 pitchers next season including eight relief pitchers. If you take away spots for Dellin Betances, Justin Wilson, Shawn Kelley, Adam Warren, David Phelps, and David Robertson (or whoever presumably replaces Robertson) that leaves just two open spots on the roster with a ton of players vying for the position. New York will take long looks at Jose De Paula, Jacob Lindgren, Tyler Webb, James Pazos, Esmil Rogers, David Huff, Preston Claiborne, Jose Ramirez, Chase Whitley, Bryan Mitchell, Manny Banuelos, Nick Goody, and Nick Rumbelow this spring to fill those two spots making the competition fierce.

Looking at that impressive list and ranking the non-tender candidates and the call up pecking order I can honestly see the Yankees protecting NONE of those four relief pitchers today. All four could be taken by other teams in December or all four could pass through and stick with the organization at least another season. Stay tuned.