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Atlanta Braves: Could team grab a Rule 5 pick?

By Benjamin Chase

SAN DIEGO, CA - JUNE 26: Chief Operating Officer of Major League Basball Rob Manfred speaks during a Memorial Tribute To Tony Gwynn by the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on June 26, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - JUNE 26: Chief Operating Officer of Major League Basball Rob Manfred speaks during a Memorial Tribute To Tony Gwynn by the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on June 26, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – FEBRUARY 22: Ray-Patrick Diddder #88 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a photo during photo days at Champion Stadium on February 22, 2018 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

After letting go of Rio Ruiz, the Atlanta Braves have an open roster spot. Could they fill it with today’s Rule 5 draft?

The Atlanta Braves opened a roster spot when they put Rio Ruiz on waivers last week. With Ruiz now with the Baltimore Orioles, the Braves could fill that roster spot with today’s Rule 5 draft. Who are players that the team could select?

The Atlanta Braves will have the 20th selection in the draft at noon Eastern. Three teams selecting ahead of the Braves have full rosters, so they will not be able to select anyone. The Braves currently have 39 players on their 40-man roster, so they could select one player in the draft.

First, let’s start with the guys the Atlanta Braves could possibly lose today.

Possible selections from the Atlanta Braves

Baseball America covers the Rule 5 draft like none other, and they have listed Braves infielder/outfielder Ray-Patrick Didder as the #4 player in their list of the top 10 players to watch in the Rule 5. It’s been a long while since they’ve had a player in their top 10 go undrafted in the Rule 5, so it’s a very good chance that Didder will be selected somewhere.

Other guys that the Baseball America article mention is lefty reliever Phil Pfeifer, who is coming off of a tough season statistically, but he has excellent raw stuff that could attract a team. The Braves also have two big-armed right-handed relievers in Josh Graham and Luis Mora that could interest teams, more likely Graham as he’s pitched in the upper minors already.

Who could the Braves target? We’ll start with a converted outfielder…

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