Chicago Cubs Acquire Three Players In Rule 5 Draft

The Rule 5 Draft concluded today as the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings continue on.

For those unfamiliar, the Rule 5 Draft, which is held every December, "allows clubs without a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs. Clubs draft in reverse order of the standings from the previous season," per MLB.

Furthermore, "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."

As the Cubs have been relatively quiet compared to other teams during free agency, here is a rundown of Chicago's Rule 5 Draft Picks.

Who the Cubs added from the Rule 5 Draft

The Cubs elected to pass on picks in rounds 1, 2, and 3 (MLB Phase), with only 13 teams making selections.

Some of those teams included the team's cross-town rival, the Chicago White Sox, taking Jedixson Paez, a right-handed pitcher from the Boston Red Sox (#2). The Cubs' NL Central rival, the St. Louis Cardinals, also picked pitcher Matt Pushard from the Miami Marlins (#11).

However, the Cubs did make picks in rounds 1, 2, and 3 of the Triple-A phase.

Adam Stone

With the 25th pick of the first Triple-A Round, Chicago took right-handed pitcher Adam Stone. Stone stepped back on the mound for the first time in two years at the Arizona Fall League, playing for the Mesa Solar Sox alongside other Cubs prospects.

Per MLB.com, Stone's two-year break was due to a right shoulder strain and a second Tommy John surgery. “It's tough. It's a hard process when all of your buddies get there in Spring Training and they leave and you gotta stick around. It's a grind, especially when I hadn't played in two years.

Zane Mills

In the next round, the Cubs took Zane Mills from the Cardinals. The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher had been with the organization since 2021 and has worked his way up to through their system.

During his 119 games in the minor leagues, Mills posted a 4.43 ERA while striking out 303 strikeouts and walking just 110 batters in 368 innings of play.

Devin Ortiz

During the third round of Triple-A selections, Chicago added depth to their infield, taking Devin Ortiz from the San Diego Padres. This past season with Double-A San Antonio, Ortiz hit six home runs and recorded stolen19 bases. He could be a future insurance policy at third base behind last year's rookie Matt Shaw.

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In addition to the Cubs not losing any of their own players during the Rule 5 Draft, Chicago did not make any other selections during the remaining three rounds of Triple-A picks.

Time will tell whether Stone, Mills, or Ortiz breaks through for the Cubs in the big leagues. For now, the trio adds depth to the team's pitching and infield.

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