First day of the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando buzzed with the kind of off-season energy that makes you feel like baseball just rebooted for 2026. Club execs, agents and front-office types flooded the hotel lobbies, ready to strike deals — a familiar scene if you’ve ever seen a bunch of grown-ups fighting over toys. Most of the chatter today centered on upcoming big events: the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery (scheduled for Tuesday) and the looming 2026 Rule 5 Draft (on Wednesday), which quietly define much of the offseason’s roster chess.

 Looking ahead to the Rule 5 Draft, expect a few clubs to swing for upside rather than immediate production. The draft exists for a reason: to prevent teams from hoarding young players in the minors while other clubs are willing to give them a real shot. I predict most picks this year will be bullpen arms and high-upside bench bats — typical Rule 5 fare — but a couple of teams might go bold and grab a young hitter with a chance to stick as a backup outfielder or part-time corner bat. If history is any guide, a few names could surprise come late 2026.

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