The San Francisco Giants have another important roster decision approaching as they prepare for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

San Francisco must decide whether to protect four prospects from its farm system before Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET deadline to establish 40-man rosters.

Players who meet the eligibility requirements but are left unprotected could be selected by another organization during the major-league phase of the draft.

The Giants' group includes three left-handed pitchers and one catcher, with Henry Lalane representing the highest-ranked prospect among the four.

Lalane enters the offseason as the Giants' No. 11 prospect, making him the organization's highest-ranked player among those approaching Rule 5 eligibility.

The left-hander is one of three pitching prospects San Francisco must evaluate before the deadline. Joe Whitman, ranked No. 23, and Luis De La Torre, ranked No. 25, are the other two arms included on MLB Pipeline's list.

Having three left-handed pitchers in the same eligibility group gives the Giants several decisions to make regarding the future of their pitching depth.

The organization must determine whether those players have developed enough to warrant protection and whether they could attract interest from another club willing to carry them on its major-league roster.

Catcher Jancel Villarroel, ranked No. 18, is the lone position player in the Giants' group.

His inclusion gives San Francisco a different position to consider as it evaluates which prospects should receive protection. Catchers can provide organizational depth, but the front office must still determine whether Villarroel is ready to be carried on a major-league roster under Rule 5 restrictions.

The upcoming deadline comes after San Francisco recently made several moves to address its 40-man roster.

The Giants parted ways with nine players in a series of transactions earlier in November, creating room to reinstate players who had been on the 60-day Injured List.

Those moves included several notable departures, while the organization also designated Reiver Sanmartin for assignment.

Despite creating additional flexibility, San Francisco still has decisions involving its eligible prospects and other offseason roster priorities.

The Rule 5 Draft adds another layer to that process because teams cannot simply select a player and freely develop him in the minors after acquiring him through the major-league phase.

A selected player must remain on the selecting organization's 26-man roster for the entire following season. If that requirement cannot be met, the player must be offered back to his original team.

Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player, with the original organization able to reacquire him for $50,000 if he is returned.

San Francisco's front office must weigh the value of retaining those players against the roster space required to protect them.

With the Rule 5 Draft scheduled for Dec. 9 in San Diego, the Giants have an important opportunity to retain young talent before other organizations can pursue it.

Whether San Francisco protects all four or leaves some available will provide another indication of how the organization views its farm system heading into the offseason.