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Cards lose Cordoba, add Wilson in Rule 5 Draft
- Updated: December 8, 2016
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — A year after the Padres snagged a promising pitching prospect from the Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft to assist in their rebuilding efforts, San Diego went after St. Louis’ talent again. This time it was plucking infielder Allen Cordoba, who led the Appalachian League in batting average this past season and was ranked as the organization’s 19th-best prospect in MLB Pipeline, with the third overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday.
Cordoba was the only Minor League player in the Cardinals’ system picked in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft, which marked the final official event of the Winter Meetings. The Cardinals didn’t make a selection until the Draft’s Triple-A phase, when they nabbed outfielder Austin Wilson, a player with whom they are plenty familiar.
The Cardinals understood the gamble in leaving Cordoba exposed in the Rule 5 Draft, but they also recognized the challenge another team would have in keeping Cordoba on a big league roster all season. The Padres did it last year, though, when they accepted Luis Perdomo’s uneven results for the long-term gain of keeping him in their …