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  • Mitch Bratt SP | ARI

    Diamondbacks' Mitch Bratt: Joins 40-man roster

    The Diamondbacks selected Bratt's contract from Double-A Amarillo on Tuesday.

    Bratt joined the D-backs organization from the Rangers at the trade deadline as part of the return for Merrill Kelly. After reporting to Amarillo, Bratt turned in a 3.98 ERA and 1.15 WHIP alongside a 42:5 K:BB across 31.2 innings (six starts). His addition to the 40-man roster will keep him in the organization beyond December's Rule 5 Draft, but he's likely to begin the 2026 campaign with Amarillo or Triple-A Reno.

  • Yankees' Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: Added to 40-man roster

    The Yankees selected Rodriguez-Cruz's contract from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday.

    Rodriguez-Cruz reached Triple-A at the very end of the 2025 season after beginning the year at High-A Hudson Valley. He finished the season with a 2.51 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with a 176:57 K:BB through 150.1 innings across three different affiliates. The 22-year-old righty will most likely return to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin the 2026 campaign, though he will be a candidate to make his MLB debut at some point next year if he continues to dominate against minor-league hitters.

  • Gabriel Hughes SP | COL

    Rockies' Gabriel Hughes: Protected from Rule 5 Draft

    The Rockies selected Hughes' contract from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

    Hughes is a 24-year-old right-handed starter who got his first taste of Triple-A action last season. He struggled at that level, posting a 5.11 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 48:29 K:BB over 61.2 innings spanning 14 starts, but he showed more promise at Double-A prior to his promotion, recording a 3.07 ERA and 0.85 WHIP across nine starts. Hughes was the 10th overall pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, and he underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2023. The Rockies clearly still see him as an eventual part of their rotation given that they chose to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.

  • Guardians' Austin Peterson: Added to 40-man roster

    The Guardians selected Peterson's contract from Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

    Peterson struggled a bit after being promoted to Triple-A in June, posting a 4.27 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 90.2 innings compared to the 1.47 ERA and 0.82 WHIP he held in 55 frames at Double-A Akron. The 26-year-old's addition to the 40-man roster will prevent him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, but the Guardians will likely keep him in Triple-A to begin the 2026 campaign.

  • Cooper Hjerpe SP | STL

    Cardinals' Cooper Hjerpe: Joins 40-man roster

    The Cardinals selected Hjerpe's (elbow) contract from Double-A Springfield on Tuesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

    Hjerpe is expected to miss the first portion of the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April, but the Cardinals will grant him a 40-man spot anyway to ensure he doesn't get selected by another club during the Rule 5 Draft. The 24-year-old lefty owns a 3.38 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across his minor-league career and will presumably return to Double-A once he's deemed fully healthy.

  • Alex McFarlane SP | PHI

    Phillies' Alex McFarlane: Protected from Rule 5 Draft

    The Phillies selected McFarlane's contract from Double-A Reading on Tuesday.

    McFarlane made his return from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and spent most of the season with High-A Jersey Shore, posting a 4.79 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 73.1 innings. The right-hander is likely still a couple years away from seeing the majors, but the Phillies still opted to protect him from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

  • Andrew Painter SP | PHI

    Phillies' Andrew Painter: Added to 40-man roster

    The Phillies selected Painter's contract from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday.

    The 2021 first-round pick returned to action last season for the first time since 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and he endured some struggles at Lehigh Valley with a 5.40 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 111:46 K:BB over 106.2 innings. Painter's workload was encouraging, however, and his standing as Philadelphia's top pitching prospect lines him up to potentially make his MLB debut in 2026.

  • Steven Zobac SP | KC

    Royals' Steven Zobac: Protected from Rule 5 Draft

    The Royals selected Zobac's contract from Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

    The right-hander missed time in 2025 due to a knee injury, which limited him to 14 appearances. Zobac spent most of the campaign with Northwest Arkansas and had a 7.68 ERA over 36.1 innings, but the Royals still elected to shield him from potentially being selected in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

  • Ben Kudrna SP | KC

    Royals' Ben Kudrna: Added to 40-man roster

    The Royals selected Kudrna's contract from Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

    The 22-year-old righty spent most of last season at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, where he had a 4.21 ERA over 94 innings. Kudrna made four appearances for Omaha late in the season and struggled at the highest level of the minors with a 14.29 ERA.

  • Padres' Miguel Mendez: Joins 40-man roster

    The Padres selected Mendez's contract from Double-A San Antonio on Tuesday.

    The right-hander is one of San Diego's top prospects, so his addition to the 40-man roster was to be expected ahead of the Rule 5 Draft. Mendez posted a 1.78 ERA and 11.2 K/9 over 75.2 frames in the lower minors during 2025 but surrendered 20 earned runs over six late-season starts after being promoted to Double-A.

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