The Toronto Blue Jays added a right-handed pitcher but lost a righty and an outfielder in Wednesday's minor-league Rule 5 draft.
MLB rosters remain frozen due to the ongoing rosters, but the minor-league Rule 5 draft was allowed to continue as it involves players that don't need to be added to the 40-man roster.
The Blue Jays selected right-hander Abdiel Mendoza from the Rangers with the 18th pick. The 23-year-old threw 40 strikeouts but had a 4.95 ERA with 16 walks in 10 games at low-A last season, seven of them starts. He will be assigned to triple-A Buffalo to start but the Blue Jays will be able to assign him to any level.
Outfielder Tanner Kirwer -- a Sherwood Park, Alta., native -- was selected by the Mariners with pick No. 16 while right-hander Curtis Taylor -- of Port Coquitlam, B.C. -- was selected 28th. Kirwer, 25, split the 2021 campaign with high-A Vancouver and double-A New Hampshire where he hit a combined .243/.370/.399 with 11 home runs and 43 stolen bases in 83 games. Taylor, 26, had a 5.71 ERA in 30 games -- all but one out of the bullpen -- split between double-A and triple-A.
Unlike the major league Rule 5 draft, there are no rostering requirements for players selected in the minor-league Rule 5 draft, but teams have to pay $24,500 to select a player.
