Kansas City Royals protect 3 minor-leaguers from Rule 5 Draft. See who (and why)
The Kansas City Royals added minor-league pitchers Noah Cameron, Luinder Avila and Eric Cerantola to the 40-man roster on Tuesday.
All three players were eligible for the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. The Royals decided to protect them from draft inclusion with the roster move.
Cameron, 25, made significant strides this season. He finished with a 7-6 record and a 3.08 ERA across 25 minor-league starts. Cameron began in Double-A with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals before receiving a promotion to Triple-A Omaha.
At each stop, Cameron showcased swing-and-miss ability. He registered 149 strikeouts in 128 ⅔ innings and posted 10.4 strikeout per nine innings.
The Royals drafted Cameron in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He features a fastball, cutter, changeup and curveball in his pitching mix. Cameron, who is a St. Joseph, Missouri native, is the Royals’ No. 12 prospect, per MLB.com.
In August, Cameron was named the International League Pitcher of the Month. The southpaw pitcher led the Omaha Storm Chasers with a 1.71 ERA and 36 strikeouts in five starts.
Avila, 23, also produced a standout 2024 campaign. He spent the majority of the season in Double-A and posted a 3.89 ERA in 19 starts. He reached Triple-A Omaha before elevating his performance in the Arizona Fall League.
Earlier this month, Avila became an Arizona Fall League All-Star selection. He recorded 17 strikeouts and allowed five runs in 14 ⅔ innings.
The Royals are intrigued by Avila’s strikeout rate. He posted a 22.4% strikeout rate and 4.9 walks per nine innings. Avila features a fastball, slider and changeup in his repertoire and will look to develop further next season.
Cerantola, 24, rounds out the group. He operated primarily as a right-handed reliever across two minor-league stops this season. Cerantola yielded good numbers with a 2.97 ERA in 37 appearances (seven starts) and 101 strikeouts.
Both Avila and Cerantola are ranked within the Royals’ top 30 prospects. Avila is ranked No. 26 and Cerantola is No. 29.
The Royals now have 37 players on their 40-man roster. MLB teams had until 5 p.m. Central to designate players to protect from the Rule 5 Draft.
The Rule 5 Draft will be held on Dec. 11 at the 2024 Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas. Teams will be able to select eligible players that were left unprotected during the annual event.
Notable Royals that didn’t receive Rule 5 Draft protection include right-hander Chandler Champlain (No. 16) and left-hander Tyson Guerrero (No. 27). Both players will be available to be drafted by another MLB team.
The Royals made a few Rule 5 Draft selections last season. In the major-league phase, the Royals selected left-handed pitcher Matt Sauer. They also added outfielder Joseph Gray, pitcher Keylan Killgore and infielder Ryan Fitzgerald in the minor-league phase.
Sauer made the Royals’ 26-man roster in spring training. However, he was designated for assignment and returned to the New York Yankees in May. He posted a 7.71 ERA in 16 ⅓ innings with the Royals.
