With the Rule 5 draft approaching, general manager Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox have to make some big decisions regarding prospects.
The Dec. 10 draft is for MLB teams to grab any players left off a team's 40-man rosters who signed when they were 19 or older four years ago, or players who signed at 18 and younger five years ago.
According to MLB.com, the biggest name not protected by the Red Sox was once-promising pitcher Kris Johnson, a left-hander plucked 40th overall in the 2006 first-year player draft.
Last season in Pawtucket, the 25-year-old went just 3-13 with a 6.35 ERA in 22 starts. In 2008, he posted a 8-9 record to go with a 3.63 ERA in 27 starts for the Double-A squad.
Below is the 40-man roster, which currently stands at 32.
Pitchers
Daniel Bard, Josh Beckett, Michael Bowden, Clay Buchholz, Manny Delcarmen, Felix Doubront, Jon Lester, Robert Manuel, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Okajima, Jonathan Papelbon, Ramon Ramirez, Dustin Richardson, Junichi Tazawa, Tim Wakefield
Catchers
Dusty Brown, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek, Mark Wagner
Infielders
Aaron Bates, Jose Iglesias, Casey Kotchman, Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis
Outfielders
Brian Anderson, J.D. Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy Hermida, Josh Reddick
Designated hitter
David Ortiz
According to SoxProspects.com, the following players were left unprotected:
Juan Apodaca, Anatanaer Batista, Travis Beazley, Bubba Bell, Randor Bierd, Jason Blackey, Zach Borowiak, Cesar Cabral, Robert Coello, Bryce Cox, Zach Daeges, Sean Danielson, Andrew Dobies, Reid Engel, Kyle Fernandes, Kason Gabbard, Miguel Gonzalez, Matt Goodson, Tommy Hottovy, Jorge Jimenez, Kris Johnson, Mike Jones, Ryan Khoury, TJ Large, Will Latimer, Ryne Lawson, Richie Lentz, Leandro Marin, Miguel Marquez, Blake Maxwell, Jeff Natale, John Otness, Josh Papelbon, Pedro Perez, Chad Rhoades, Jason Rice, Reynaldo Rodriguez, Jon Still, Felix Ventura, Armando Zerpa
