Rising Guardians outfield prospect highlighted as team’s toughest Rule 5 decision 

Tomorrow is quietly a big day in the Major League Baseball calendar. While it won’t stand out as much as an event like the Winter Meetings or the non-tender deadline, it’s the deadline for adding players to the 40-man roster ahead of next month's Rule 5 Draft. 

For the uninitiated, the Rule 5 draft allows clubs without a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs. Players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club's 40-man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons.

The Guardians have three open 40-man roster spots and are facing an interesting decision in this year’s Rule 5 draft. While they have one must-add prospect (Angel Geano), they also have a number of Rule 5-eligible players with a bit of an uncertain future.

On Sunday, MLB.com’s Pipeline team put out a story highlighting each team’s toughest 40-man roster decision, where they mentioned outfielder Wuilfredo Antunez as the Guardians’ entry. 

“Signed for just $10,000 out of Venezuela in 2019, Antunez has solid raw power, speed and arm strength. He slashed .275/.335/.521 with 18 homers and 16 steals in 101 games between High-A and Double-A, and he homered twice in two Arizona Fall League games before getting shut down with tendinitis in his right shoulder,” they wrote. 

It’s another nice inclusion for Antunez, who the same group highlighted last month thanks to that strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. 

But it remains to be seen if that performance will be enough for the guardians to add him to their 40-man roster. 

Outfield prospect Wuilfredo Antunez is going to force the Guardians to make a tough 40-man roster decision 

Along with Antunez, some of the other prospects who the Guardians could save ahead of the 40-man roster are OF Kahlil Watson, RHP Austin Peterson and LHP Will Dion, among others. 

Of that group, Watson has the best chance to be added to the 40-man roster given his power and status as a prospect the front office traded for, while Peterson and Dion both boast some potential as future rocks of the Guardians’ pitching staff. 

Peterson had a 3.21 ERA across 145 2/3 innings across Double-A and Triple-A and is ranked as the Guardians’ No. 30 prospect by MLB Pipeline, while Dion pitched well as a swingman in Triple-A last year. 

Last year the Guardians lost infielder Christian Cairo to the Braves in the major league portion of the Rule 5 Draft (he was eventually returned to the Guardians in March) along with losing outfielder Luis Durango to the Yankees in the minor league portion along with left-handers Randy Labaut and Steve Hajjar, who went to the Pirates. 

They selected Will Wilson from the Angels, who hit .192 in 34 games with the Guardians in 2025. They removed him from the 40-man roster earlier this month.