Major League Baseball's annual Rule 5 Draft was held Wednesday afternoon at the Winter Meetings in Dallas. The Rule 5 Draft is a mechanism designed to give minor leaguers a big-league opportunity by making it more difficult for clubs to stash players in the minors indefinitely.

Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, comprising 11 of the 15 unprotected players who were picked

Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, accounting for 11 of the 15 unprotected players selected Wednesday. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick and selected 24-year-old right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, with 11 of the 15 unprotected players selected Wednesday being those who throw off the mound. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick,