No team in the major leagues uses the Rule 5 draft more deftly and more often than the Orioles. For the past 10 years, longer than anyone in baseball, the Orioles have made at least one Rule 5 pick, and under Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Dan Duquette, they’ve selected eight players over the past six years.
Ryan Flaherty, Duquette’s first in Dec. 2011, has been a useful utility infielder in his five major league seasons.
Duquette is hoping that outfielder Joey Rickard, who was selected in Dec. 2015, will also have a nice career with the team. Rickard showed some promise in the first half of the 2016 season before injuring his right thumb in July, an injury that cost him the rest of the year.
Left-handed pitcher T.J. McFarland, chosen in Dec. 2012, has had some periods of effectiveness, but has been far less dependable the last two seasons.
