How to Watch the Rule 5 Draft: Rules, Draft Order, Broadcast Info, More

The 2023 MLB Winter Meetings keep humming along, and the next scheduled step in the process is the highly anticipated Rule 5 Draft. And if you’re wondering how to watch the Rule 5 Draft, we’ve got you covered. But first, here are the rules and draft order.

What is the Rule 5 Draft

Held each December, the Rule 5 Draft allows clubs to select certain non-40 man roster players from other teams. The idea is to get players opportunities on other teams they may not be getting from their current squad.

Here’s MLB’s explanation of (and some rules for) the event:

Clubs draft in reverse order of the standings from the previous season. Players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club’s 40-Man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons.

Not every club will make a selection, but those that do pick a player must pay $100,000 to the club from which said player was selected. Rule 5 Draft picks are assigned directly to the drafting club’s 26-man roster and must be placed on outright waivers in order to be removed from the 26-man roster in the subsequent season.

Should the player clear waivers, he must be offered back to his previous team for $50,000 and can be outrighted to the Minors only if his original club does not wish to reacquire him. A Rule 5 Draft pick can be placed on the Major League injured list, but he must be active for a minimum of 90 days to avoid being subject to the aforementioned roster restrictions in the next campaign.

Notable Rule 5 Draft Picks

Although the Rule 5 Draft necessarily features players that MLB teams are willing to risk losing, that doesn’t mean they are total non-factors. In fact, plenty of stars have been made available in the Rule 5 Draft, whether they were selected or not.

At MLB.com, Jonathan Mayo put together a list of the best Rule 5 Draft picks of the past decade, and I bet you’d be surprised how much value can be extracted from this institution. And again, that’s not even including the people that were made available, but not picked (like Willson Contreras for one high-profile example).

How to Watch the Rule 5 Draft

Finally! An answer on how to watch the Rule 5 Draft.

The 2023 MLB Rule 5 Draft will be streamed live on MLB.com at 1:00 pm CT on Wednesday, December 6.

Rule 5 Draft Order

As mentioned above, the teams will draft in reverse order of the standings from the previous season. That means the Oakland Athletics will select first overall and the Atlanta Braves will round out the order.

1. Oakland Athletics
2. Kansas City Royals
3. Colorado Rockies
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Washington Nationals
6. St. Louis Cardinals
7. Los Angeles Angels
8. New York Mets
9. Pittsburgh Pirates
10. Cleveland Guardians
11. Detroit Tigers
12. Boston Red Sox
13. San Francisco Giants
14. Cincinnati Reds
15. San Diego Padres
16. New York Yankees
17. Chicago Cubs
18. Miami Marlins
19. Arizona Diamondbacks
20. Minnesota Twins
21. Seattle Mariners
22. Toronto Blue Jays
23. Texas Rangers
24. Philadelphia Phillies
25. Houston Astros
26. Milwaukee Brewers
27. Tampa Bay Rays
28. Los Angeles Dodgers
29. Baltimore Orioles
30. Atlanta Braves