Only three prospects earn protection as the Cubs navigate a crowded Rule 5 picture.
Tuesday evening marked the deadline for Major League Baseball teams to add eligible prospects to their 40-man rosters in order to protect them from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
The Chicago Cubs had a long list of eligible prospects — including eight of the organization’s Top 30, per MLB.com:
Chicago Cubs Prospects Eligible
- Pedro Ramirez, SS (No. 8)
- Brandon Birdsell, RHP (No. 9)
- James Triantos, 3B (No. 10)
- Cristian Hernandez, SS (No. 11)
- Grant Kipp, RHP (No. 19)
- Connor Noland, RHP (No. 22)
- Drew Gray, LHP (No. 27)
- Tyler Schlaffer, RHP (No. 30)
The Cubs took a conservative approach. When the deadline hit, only two of those Top 30 prospects — plus one unranked arm — were added to the 40-man for protection.
Pedro Ramirez Added
Twenty-one-year-old infielder Pedro Ramirez, the No. 8 prospect in Chicago’s system, was one of the Cubs’ selections. Ramirez is known for his promising bat-to-ball skills and speed, spending all of 2025 at Double-A.
Ramirez hit .280 with a .738 OPS in 2025 while swiping a career best 28 bases.
James Triantos Gets Protected
The Cubs also protected James Triantos, their 2021 second-round pick. The offense has run hot and cold for Triantos, but he’s swiped 78 bases over the last two seasons and got an extended look at Triple-A Iowa in 2025.
He’s logged 128 Triple-A games over the past two years — enough to make him a real Rule 5 risk. He still needs another step forward before earning a big league opportunity, but the Cubs were right to protect him and maintain control of his development given the roster flexibility available.
Lefty Reliever Riley Martin Earns a Spot
The final Cubs add was left-handed reliever Riley Martin, a sixth-round pick in 2021 out of Quincy University. Martin has pitched in 104 Triple-A games over the last three seasons without getting the call to The Show.
In 2025, he posted a 6–2 record and a 2.69 ERA, and he owns a 13.1 K/9 across his minor-league career. Relievers are often the most poached players in the Rule 5 Draft because teams can stash them in the bullpen all season. The Cubs understood the risk — leaving Martin unprotected would’ve almost guaranteed he was gone.
Now he’ll get a legitimate shot to make the team out of spring training.
Who Was Left Unprotected?
Several of the Cubs’ remaining Top 30 prospects were technically eligible, but not realistically at risk of being selected.
Brandon Birdsell is recovering from Tommy John surgery while Cristian Hernandez has never played above A-ball. It's unlikely that a team is going to burn a Rule 5 pick on a player that's still a few levels away from the big leagues. The same thing could be said about Grant Kipp, even though he pitched 108 innings with Double-A Knoxville in 2025.
The toughest decision, according to MLB.com, was right-handed pitcher Connor Noland. He’s now Rule 5 eligible, and there’s a real chance a team takes a shot on him. The Cubs clearly appear willing to roll the dice.
After the contract purchases — and Shōta Imanaga officially accepting the qualifying offer — the Cubs’ 40-man roster sits at 32. There’s plenty of wiggle room for the front office to get aggressive this winter and make meaningful additions in free agency.