Marlins protect 4 from Rule 5 Draft

MIAMI — The Marlins on Friday purchased the contracts of four Minor Leaguers who are getting closer to being big league ready: right-handers Luis Castillo and Drew Steckenrider, along with infielders J.T. Riddle and Austin Nola.

By adding these four to the 40-man roster, Miami protected them from next month’s Rule 5 Draft.

Friday is the deadline for teams to add to their rosters players who have become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, set for Dec. 8 on the final day of the Winter Meetings.

Those eligible to be selected include any player not on the 40-man roster who signed in 2012 at 18 years old or younger or in ’13 at 19 or older.

According to MLBPipeline.com, Castillo is Miami’s No. 5 prospect, and Riddle is rated 11th.

The Marlins 40-man roster is now at 36.

By purchasing the contracts of just four players, the Marlins now may lose three other players ranked in the organization’s Top 30. MLBPipeline.com rates outfielder Austin Dean sixth, lefty Raudel Lazo 28th and right-hander Jose Adames 29th. All three could be tempting for another club in the Rule 5 Draft.  A team that makes a selection during the Major League phase of this Draft must pay $50,000 and commit to carrying the selected player on its active roster through the …

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