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Angels make a handful of transactions today and protect Nate Smith from the Rule 5 draft

Today is the deadline for adding a player to the 40 Man roster if the Angels want to protect them

By Jessica DeLine
SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Last week I wrote an article detailing which guys on the top prospect list were eligible for the Rule 5 draft if the Angels don’t add them to the 40 man roster. Those 6 players in the Angels top 30 prospect list are:

5. Nate Smith, LHP
15. Chad Hinshaw, OF
18. Manny Banuelos, LHP
19. Kyle McGowin, RHP
23. Keynan Middleton, RHP
29. Jesus Castillo, RHP

Today, the Angels made 8 transactions and appear to have shown their cards on who they plan to protect. However, it’s nearly 6PM as of this writing so it’s hard to tell if there will be more moves.

Transactions so far:

  • Blake Parker, DFA’d - Parker was signed off waivers from the Yankees in early October. He should land in AAA next spring.
  • Nate Smith, Selected to major league roster - Smith pitched in the Futures Game over the summer and will probably get a shot at the rotation in 2017.
  • Jose Valdez, DFA’d, Should end up back on the Salt Lake Bees
  • Abel De Los Santos, Should end up back on the Salt Lake Bees. He’s currently the Angels #24 prospect.
  • Rey Navarro, Outrighted to minors
  • Keynan Middleton, Selected to major league roster
  • Austin Adams, Selected to major league roster
  • Eduardo Paredes, Selected to major league roster

These moves mean Nate Smith and Keynan Middleton are safe. It also means that Austin Adams and Eduardo Paredes are protected though they are not on the top prospect list. Austin Adams was a surprise to me (he had a great year in 2016), with a 3.05 ERA in AA and a .199 BAA. Paredes just finished pitching in the Arizona Fall League and had a pretty decent year himself, but didn’t stand out quite as much as Adams (but he is only 21).

I’d be surprised if they risk losing Manny Banuelos, but perhaps they feel no one will pick him up. Banuelos was signed by Eppler back in August and is a former top prospect they seem willing to turn into a project.

In regards to Hinshaw, McGowin, and Castillo, it’s highly unlikely that a team will take them, but you never know. At least 2 of those 3 guys (probably all 3) would probably end up back in the Angels farm system since they really aren’t major league ready so it would be a big risk for a team to take them and waste a roster spot.

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