Farmstros, aka Mike Tauser has a list of Astros minor leaguers who will be vulnerable to the Rule 5 draft pick this offseason.
↵Brett Oberholtzer and Paul Clemens, acquired from Atlanta in the Michael Bourn trade, will be put on the 40-man roster and protected, but there might not be many other spots knocking about. Jason Michaels will hopefully be canned, along with Carlos Corporan, but apart from culling faceless middle relievers there is not much else Ed Wade can do.
↵God forbid anyone would steal our beloved T.J. Steele from us, but Kody Hinze probably should be protected. Given their lack of depth it is not something the Astros usually have to worry about, but the front office should jot it down under a list of things to do.
↵Instead of number 11 like last year, the Astros will have the pick of the minor league litter when the draft swings around in December.