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In advance of next month’s Rule 5 draft, the Tampa Bay Rays added three minor league players to the 40-man roster. The addition protects these players from being selected and awarded to another franchise during the winter meetings. Last winter, the Rays lost unprotected pitcher Aneury Rodriguez to the Houston Astros. Their most famous Rule 5 loss came in 2006 when the Chicago Cubs selected Josh Hamilton with the third pick in the draft. This year, Tampa Bay has decided to protect right-handed pitchers Alex Colome and Wilking Rodriguez along with catcher/outfielder/designated hitter Stephen Vogt.

Colome, 22, is a consensus top-10 prospect in the organization and the nephew of former Devil Rays reliever Jesus Colome. Like his uncle, he can reach the mid-90s with his fastball. The younger Colome also features a hard breaking ball that grades out as a plus-pitch. He reached Double-A in 2011 as a starter, but the lack of a third pitch and some messy mechanics could lead to a role as a late-inning reliever.

Rodriguez is 21-year-old native of Venezuela who signed with the Rays as a teenager in 2007. Though he lacks prototypical size, he throws in the upper-90s with relative ease. His secondary stuff is work in progress; one that was slowed in 2011 due to shoulder issues which limited him to just 45 innings. Despite the injury, the Rays felt strongly enough about his stuff to protect him from poachers even if his ETA to the majors is years away.

Of the three players protected, Stephen Vogt is closest to impacting a major league roster. Never considered a prospect, the left-handed batter has a slash line (AVG/OBP/SLG) of .305/.362/.453 in 1,736 minor-league plate appearances. He has moved slowly through the organization, reaching the upper levels of the system in 2011 as a 26-year-old. Although he is not a masher by any means, he does show extra-base power and has average discipline.

The fact that he has always been older for his level and lacks a position in the field has kept his profile relatively low. Vogt has caught 103 games in his career, but is more of a utility type. In addition to catching, he can fill in at first base, corner outfield, and take some hacks as a designated hitter. He does not project to be above-average at any position, so rotating him around the diamond seems like a best case scenario. Because of his versatility, he could compete for a bench spot sooner than later provided he can hit adequately enough to warrant a look.

Hot Stove Notes

Former Cincinnati Reds closer Francisco Cordero told MLB Radio on Friday that the Rays are one of a handful of teams in the “hunt” for his services. He also named the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays as suitors. Both Boston and Toronto are in the market for a closer this winter. Meanwhile, this appears to be more due diligence on Tampa Bay’s part than a real attraction.

Cordero, 36, has saved 327 career games including 150 over the last four seasons with the Reds. That said, outside of having the label of being a “proven closer” he provides little appeal for the Rays. Because of his lofty save totals, he will likely command a contract that is out of Tampa Bay’s range in both years and dollars.

Aside from the financials, Cordero’s strikeout rate has declined in each of the past five seasons and he lost velocity on his fastball in 2011. He currently holds Type-A free agent status which would require his new team to surrender a draft pick for his services; however, the new collective bargaining agreement may change that. Nevertheless, paying a premium price for a 30-something reliever with seemingly diminishing skills and effectiveness does not fit the Rays traditional process.

Tags: Tampa Bay Rays