ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Tuesday marked the last day for Major League teams to add prospects who are eligible for December's Rule 5 Draft to their 40-man roster.
On Tuesday, the Cardinals added four prospects to their 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft, choosing to protect starting pitching prospects Tekoah Roby and Tink Hence, reliever Matt Svanson and outfielder Matt Koperniak.
The Cardinals also announced that starter Drew Rom cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Memphis, taking their total 40-man roster to 39.
Among the players the Cardinals chose to protect include one of their top pitching prospects in Hence, 22, who had a ok year, throwing a 2.95 ERA in Double-A Springfield, but only pitched in 79 2/3 innings.
Roby, 23, who was acquired alongside infielder Thomas Saggese in the Jordan Montgomery trade, had a difficult 2024, pitching in only 38 1/3 comibined innings across Springfield and Palm Beach, posting a combined ERA of 6.57 ERA in his limited outings.
Svanson, 25, was acquired by the Cardinals from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Paul DeJong back in Aug. 2023. Svanson spent all of 2024 in Double-A, posting a 2.69 ERA across 63 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, finishing 46 games for the Springfield Cardinals and collecting 26 saves.
Svanson participated in the 2024 Arizona Fall League, where he had a difficult time there, allowing 11 hits and eight runs, seven of those earned, in 10 2/3 innings.
Koperniak, 26, spent all of 2024 in Triple-A Memphis, where he was one of the Redbirds best hitters this past season, posting a slash line of .309/.370/.512, an OPS of .882 and hitting 20 home runs.
Players who signed at 18-years-old 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.
Last year, the Cardinals added reliever Ryan Fernandez in the major league portion of the Rule 5 Draft, picking him out of the Boston Red Sox system. Fernandez proved to be a key piece in the Cardinals bullpen in 2024, appearing 62 games, posting a 3.51 ERA, and striking out 71 batters in 66 2/3 innings.
Fernandez will be likely poised for a bigger role in the Cardinals bullpen in 2025 regardless of whether or not if the Cardinals decide to move closer Ryan Helsley this offseason.
Among the prospects the Cardinals chose to leave unprotected include pitchers Ian Bedell, Darlin Saladin and Inohan Paniagua, infielders Jeremy Rivas and Noah Mendlinger, and outfielder Mike Antico.