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Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pirates Protect Six Players from Rule 5 Draft

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 5:50 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates made their 40-man roster decisions, protecting players from the incoming Rule 5 Draft.

Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reported that the Pirates selected the contracts of outfielder/first baseman Esmerlyn Valdez, infielder Jack Brannigan, left-handed pitcher Tyler Samaniego, and right-handed pitchers Wilber Dotel, Antwone Kelly and Brandan Bidois.

Why the Pirates Protected Players Before the Rule 5 Draft

The Rule 5 Draft prevents teams from stockpiling young talent in their minor leagues and makes them available for teams to take during the Winter Meetings in December.

Players that are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft are those that aren't on the 40-man roster and were either 18 or younger on June 5 when they signed, and this serving as the fifth Rule 5 draft afterwards or 19 or older on June 5 when they signed and this serving as their fourth Rule 5 draft following.

If an MLB team selects a player from the Rule 5 Draft, they have to keep that player on the MLB roster the entire season and can't send them down to the minor leagues.

Players that are selected also must spend at least 90 days on the roster that season and if they don't meet that threshold, due to time on the injured list, they must spend those remaining days on the MLB roster the next season.

If a team trades a player they selected in the Rule 5 Draft, that team taking the player still has them under the same restrictions.

The deadline for protecting players from the Rule 5 Draft is 6:00 p.m. on Nov. 18, which means MLB teams have to place those players they are protecting on the 40-man roster.

The Pirates made one of the most important selections in Rule 5 Draft history, taking Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente on Nov. 22, 1954 from the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Valdez and Brannigan the Sole Position Players the Pirates Protect

José Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports first reported the Pirates putting Valdez on the 40-man roster, which is unsurprising after the season he had.

Valdez had a breakout campaign in 2025 across High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, slashing .286/.376/.520 for an OPS of .896 in 123 games, 131 hits, 25 doubles, two triples, 26 home runs, 86 RBIs and 56 walks to 130 strikeouts.

He earned earned honors for his play, including South Atlantic League MVP for his time in Greensboro and the Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year, given to the best minor league power hitter in the Pirates farm system.

Valdez also excelled in the Arizona Fall League, winning Offensive Player of the Year honors after slashing 368/.513/.842 for an OPS of 1.355 in 19 games with the Salt River Rafters, with 19 runs scored, 21 hits, three doubles, eight home runs, 27 RBIs and 19 walks to 12 strikeouts.

Brannigan didn't quite have the season he wanted as he didn't play with Altoona past June 13, missing the rest of the season with a torn labrum, that he underwent surgery.

He slashed .225/.329/.358 for an OPS of .687 in 59 games at Double-A in 2025, with 46 hits in 204 at-bats, eight doubles, two triples, five home runs, 30 RBIs, 25 walks to 62 strikeouts and nine stolen bases.

MLB Pipeline ranks Valdez 15th and Brannigan 21st amongst the 30 best prospects in the Pirates farm system.

Four Pitchers Protected, with One Surprising Addition

The Pirates have a great list of young pitching talent in their franchise and these pitchers represent potentialy future great adds.

Dotel posted a 7-9 record over 27 starts with Altoona, a 4.15 ERA over 125.2 innings pitched, 131 strikeouts to 43 walks, a .234 opposing batting average and a 1.23 WHIP, with a 9.38 K/9, 3.08 BB/9 and a 3.05 K/BB.

He ranked amongst the best pitchers in the Eastern League, with the most games started, the third most strikeouts, the third lowest opposing batting average, the fourth lowest WHIP and the fifth most innings pitched, plus the third best K/9, fifth best K/BB and the sixth best BB/9.

Kelly started off with Greensboro in 2025, with a 1-1 record in 14 starts, a 3.03 ERA over 59.1 innings pitched, 70 strikeouts to 17 walks, a .192 opposing batting average and a 0.90 WHIP.

He earned promotion to Altoona on June 24 and immediately joined the starting rotation. He finished with a 2-2 record over 11 starts, a 3.00 ERA over 48.0 innings pitched, 46 strikeouts to 16 walks, a .226 opposing batting average and a 1.17 WHIP.

Baseball America projects great futures for both pitchers, ranking Kelly seventh and Dotel ninth in the Pirates farm system, while MLB Pipeline ranks Dotel 28th overall.

Bidois didn't give up a hit over 64 batters, which went over 18 innings and 11 relief appearances with Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis from July 29 to Sept. 14.

The 24-year old Australian finished the 2025 campaign with an 8-0 record over 40 relief appearances across the four minor league levels with the Pirates, posting a 0.74 ERA over 61.0 innings pitched, 69 strikeouts to 27 walks, a .110 opposing batting average and a 0.80 WHIP.

The Pirates also named Bidois the Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year, honoring the best relief pitcher in their minor league system.

Dotel, Kelly and Bidois are the three pitchers that were likely additions, but Samaniego is much more surprising.

Samaniego worked back from an elbow injury and made it to Altoona on June 24. He posted a 1-1 record in 20 relief appearances, a 3.08 ERA over 26.1 innings pitched, 30 walks to six strikeouts, a .189 opposing batting average and a 0.91 WHIP.

The 15th round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of South Alabama could eventually make the Pirates roster for their bullpen, and as a left-hander, he's exactly the player they need, finishing the end portion of the season with just one southpaw on their pitching staff.