The Rule 5 draft is approaching faster than you might expect, and for the Royals it offers another chance to improve their 40-man roster. The deadline to protect prospects from the draft, which takes place at this year’s Winter Meetings in Nashville, is Tuesday, November 14. Many teams will be making roster moves over the coming days in order to protect those prospects in their system that they otherwise could lose.

MLB.com has a great list of Rule 5 eligible prospects for each organization, including a few top-100 prospects (that almost certainly won’t be left unprotected). After surveying the list of minor leaguers for each organization, I’ve compiled my list of favorites that Kansas City could consider this December. First, a look at the American League teams and their minor leaguers.

As of writing, these minor leaguers are not added to their respective clubs 40-man rosters. That could easily change for many over the coming days. Until the deadline passes, they are not truly at risk of being taken in the Rule 5 draft.

Grant Gambrell, RHP, Boston Red SOX

Age: 26 Why: 21.4% K-BB% in 2023

Grant Gambrell should be a familiar name for Royals fans. He was the organization’s third round pick in 2019 and quickly became a fan favorite among those following the minor leagues. He found his way to the Red Sox organization as part of the return for outfielder Andrew Benintendi. Gambrell made his way to Triple-A for the first time last season, ultimately tossing just 10.2 innings with a 1.69 ERA at the minor leagues’ highest level.

In a much larger 2023 sample, Gambrell made 15 starts at Double-A with a 3.42 ERA and 8.96 SO/9. As pitching needy as the Royals are, they could look to select Gambrell to help fill either a reliever or fifth starter role in the major leagues.

Ryan Fernandez, RHP, Boston red sox

Age: 25 Why: 18.0% K-BB% in 2023

Ryan Fernandez had a difficult time in 2023. Over 30.2 AAA innings his ERA was all the way up at 6.16. His FIP was a bit better at 5.24 and his xFIP was immensely better at 4.04. Over those innings, he struck out 10.27 batters per nine and walked just 2.93. The peripheral stats appear to indicate that Fernandez was quite a bit better on the mound than his ERA would suggest. Over five full seasons in the minor leagues, Fernandez owns a 3.33 ERA with 252 strikeouts against just 60 walks.

Jake eder, LHP, Chicago white sox

Age: 25 Why: 11.29 SO/9 in 29 minor league starts

Jake Eder was a fourth round selection by the Marlins in the 2020 MLB Draft. He’s seen some up-and-down results thus far into his professional career. The White Sox acquired Eder from the Marlins at this summer’s trade deadline and he’s struggled since. His ERA in 17.1 IP after joining the organization was 11.42. Since heading to the Fall League, the results haven’t been much better. Despite the recent struggles, Eder has had great success in his minor league career thus far and with the right development could become an effective starter in the major leagues.

cade smith, RHP, Cleveland Guardians

Age: 24 Why: 26.4% K-BB% in 2023

Cade Smith was a late-round selection by the Twins way back in 2017. He chose not to sign and instead went undrafted in 2020. Since signing he has done rather nicely as a reliever in the minor leagues. Through three seasons he has a 3.61 ERA with an impressive 262 strikeouts in just 167.0 IP. He made his way to Triple-A last season where he earned two saves and struck out 66 batters over 40.2 innings. He struggles with walks at times but has the strikeout stuff the Royals could use in the major league bullpen.

Austin martin, INF/OF, Minnesota Twins

Age: 25 Why: 106 wRC+ in 2023

It is probably more likely than not that the Twins choose to protect Martin, a former fifth overall pick by the Blue Jays. He’s struggled since joining the Twins via trade and simply hasn’t ever lived up to his early draft selection. He looked to turn a corner slightly last season. Over 51 games for Triple-A St. Paul he slashed .263/.387/.405. He walked at a healthy rate and limited strikeouts. Most of his season came at second base (285.0 innings) but he spent more than 80 innings in center field as well. The Royals could hope to take a risk on the draft pedigree should he go unprotected.

Matt sauer, rhp, new york Yankees

Age: 25 Why: 19.2% K-BB% in 2023

Kansas City is no stranger to Yankees pitchers and there are a couple good ones potentially available this winter. Sauer is a former second-round pick that has gotten along rather slowly to this point. He made his second attempt at Double-A this season, throwing 68.1 innings as a starter with a 3.42 ERA. He struck out 83 hitters and walked just 29, good for an impressive 19.2% K-BB%. It would be a jump from Double-A to the major leagues, but Brad Keller made the same transition as a successful Rule 5 selection.

clayton beeter, rhp, new york Yankees

Age: 25 Why: 28.1% K-BB% in 2023

The second Yankees arm on our list, Clayton Beeter, was a second-round selection by the Dodgers in 2020. The Yankees acquired Beeter in the Joey Gallo trade that sent Gallo to Los Angeles. He has a sub-4.00 ERA thus far into his minor league career and finally made his way up to Triple-A last season. His ERA there (4.94) wasn’t too impressive, but Beeter struck out 89 hitters in just 71.0 innings of work. He struggled with walks, something the Royals could focus on to maximize his strikeout stuff.

zach deloach, of, seattle mariners

Age: 25 Why: .195 ISO in 2023

It was rather surprising when Zach DeLoach never made his major league debut last season. Unfortunately for him, the Mariners outfield was rather full with Teoscar Hernandez, Jarred Kelenic, and Julio Rodriguez. He was a second round pick in 2020 and absolutely dominated Triple-A pitching in 2023. Over 138 games, he slashed .286/.387/.481 with 23 home runs. His ISO was an impressive .195. Most of his time came in RF, but he spent nearly 150 innings in center field last season.

austin shenton, 3B, tampa bay rays

Age: 26 Why: 158 wRC+ in 2023

Austin Shenton was an excellent prospect for the Mariners when they shipped him to Tampa Bay as part of the cost to acquire Diego Castillo. He had somewhat of a down year in 2022 (.236/.338/.415) but made his way to Triple-A by midseason in 2023 after absolutely dominating Double-A pitchers. Shenton played 61 games at AAA Durham this season, slashing .301/.432/.603 with 14 home runs. He walked 17.7% of the time, showcasing a nice power/patience combination.

kameron misner, of, tampa bay rays

Age: 26 Why: .233 ISO in 2023

Kameron Misner, he of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, was drafted by the Royals in the 33rd round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He didn’t sign, and instead attended the University of Missouri. It paid off, as he was taken 35th overall by the Marlins in 2019. The Marlins sent him to Tampa Bay in order to acquire Joey Wendle and he’s started to blossom ever since. Misner played all of 2023 at Triple-A, appearing in 130 games and slashing .226/.363/.458. 94 of those games saw him play center field. He hit 21 home runs and stole 21 bases, showcasing the power/speed combination that many teams look for.

justin foscue, 2b, texas rangers

Age: 25 Why: .201 ISO in 2023

Foscue was the 14th overall pick in 2020 and every season in the minors thus far has been impressive. Over 285 minor league games, he’s slashed .276/.380/.499 with a 12.0% walk rate and 50 home runs. He spent all of 2023 with AAA Round Rock playing a mixture of second and third base. The World Champion Rangers, of course, are pretty set with their infield of Josh Jung, Marcus Semien, and Corey Seager. As a result, Foscue could find himself left unprotected.

davis wendzel, 3b, texas rangers

Age: 26 Why: 30 HR, 14.1% BB% in 2023

Much like Foscue, Davis Wendzel is a former first-round infielder for the Rangers who likely won’t crack the major league roster. He’s already 26, but showcased a nice blend of patience and power last season. Most of his time came at shortstop and third base. He struck out around league average (23.1%) but walked more than 14% of the time and launched 30 big flies.

antoine kelly, lhp, texas rangers

Age: 24 Why: 21.7% K-BB% in 2023

Antoine Kelly is currently 23, entering his age-24 season in 2024. He was a first round selection by the Brewers at one time and looked rather impressive last season. Over 49 relief outings between AA and AAA, Kelly had a 2.04 ERA with 79 strikeouts and just 23 walks. His 21.7% K-BB% is an impressive mark for a reliever and he could be ready for the major leagues as early as Opening Day. If he goes unprotected, he could be a sneaky addition to the Royals bullpen.