With only 40 spots on each organization's roster, there were some very tough decisions for teams to make this time of year as to which prospects to protect.
The deadline to make those choices has come and gone. Some players were protected with a coveted 40-man spot, while the others will be exposed to selection by the 29 other teams in the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 14 at the Winter Meetings in Orlando.
Players first signed at age 18 must be added to 40-man rosters within five seasons or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 process. Players signed at 19 years or older have to be protected within four seasons. Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. If that player doesn't stay on the 25-man roster for the full season, he must be offered back to his former team for $50,000.
For this year, that means an international or high school Draft pick signed in 2013 -- assuming he was 18 or younger as of June 5 of that year -- has to be protected. A college player taken in the 2014 Draft is in the same position.

There were eight players on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list who needed to be protected. All eight joined their organization's roster as the deadline passed.
Rank, Name, Position, Organization
*1. Gleyber Torres, SS, Yankees
4. Eloy Jimenez, OF, White Sox
*11. Brent Honeywell, RHP, Rays
*16. Austin Meadows, OF, Pirates
*63. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP, Twins
*72. Jake Bauers, OF/1B, Rays
*86. Tyler O'Neill, OF, Cardinals
*97. Jorge Mateo, SS/OF, A's
Indicates that a player has been added to his team's 40-man roster.
Last year, there were 12 Top 100 players who needed to be protected. In 2015, there were 11. And every one of those 23 players were added to 40-man rosters.
There are obviously many more Minor Leaguers under consideration. There were 153 prospects on organizational Top 30 lists hoping to get added to a 40-man roster. That's up from last year, when there were 144 hoping to be protected. A total of 85 of them (55.6%) were protected. That's down a touch from last year, when 58% (84 of 144) were protected. In 2015, 75 of 156 (48%) Top 30 prospects landed on rosters.
Here's a list of all 30 teams' Top 30 prospects who needed to be protected to avoid being exposed to the Rule 5 Draft, along with non-Top 30 prospects who were given coveted roster spots.
Arizona Diamondbacks (4)
12. Brad Keller, RHP
*17. Jared Miller, LHP
19. Victor Reyes, OF
26. Jose Almonte, RHP
Atlanta Braves (3)
13. Travis Demeritte, 2B/3B
15. Dustin Peterson, OF
*23. Ricardo Sanchez, LHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Grant Dayton, LHP
Adam McCreery, LHP
Baltimore Orioles (4)
*7. Hunter Harvey, RHP
19. Randolph Gassaway, OF
*28. David Hess, RHP
29. John Means, LHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Austin Wynns, C
Boston Red Sox (7)
*16. Jalen Beeks, LHP
*20. Williams Jerez, LHP
*21. Chandler Shepherd, RHP
24. Jake Cosart, RHP
25. Kyle Martin, RHP
28. Hildemaro Requena, RHP
30. Jhonathan Diaz, LHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Ty Buttrey, RHP
Chicago Cubs (7)
*1. Oscar De La Cruz, RHP
*3. Adbert Alzolay, RHP
9. Trevor Clifton, RHP
16. Chesny Young, 2B/SS/OF
22. Charcer Burks, OF
26. Erling Moreno, RHP
29. Jose Paulino, LHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Matt Carasiti, RHP
David Bote, INF
Chicago White Sox (7)
*1. Eloy Jimenez, OF
*11. Casey Gillaspie, 1B
*14. Micker Adolfo, OF
*17. Luis Alexander Basabe, OF
21. Jordan Guerrero, LHP
*22. Ian Clarkin, LHP
29. Luis Martinez, RHP
Cincinnati Reds (6)
*7. Shed Long, 2B
20, Gavin LaValley, 1B
*22. Jose Siri, OF
*25. Alex Blandino, 2B/SS
26. Nick Longhi, 1B/OF
28. Michael Beltre, OF
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Jose Lopez, RHP
Jesus Reyes, RHP
Zack Weiss, RHP
Cleveland Indians (3)
*4. Yu-Cheng Chang, SS
*9. Willie Castro, SS
*12. Julian Merryweather, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Eric Haase, C
Eric Stamets, INF
Colorado Rockies (5)
*12. Sam Howard, LHP
15. Dom Nunez, C
21. James Farris, RHP
24. Harrison Musgrave, LHP
*28. Noel Cuevas, OF
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Yonathan Daza OF
Chris Rabago C
Jesús Tinoco RHP
Detroit Tigers (7)
*10. Michael Gerber, OF
*12. Gregory Soto, LHP
21. Jose Azocar, OF
*24. Sergio Alcantara, SS
*25. Gerson Moreno, RHP
26. Adam Ravenelle, RHP
*28. Spencer Turnbull, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Grayson Greiner, C
Eduardo Jimenez, RHP
Gregory Soto, LHP
Ryan Carpenter, LHP
Houston Astros (4)
*7. Cionel Perez, LHP
16. Jason Martin, OF
*26. Dean Deetz, RHP
Kansas City Royals (3)
14. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B
*17. Meibrys Viloria, C
19. Marten Gasparini, OF
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Tim Hill, LHP
Eric Stout, LHP
Los Angeles Angels (6)
*8. Jaime Barria, RHP
*12. Michael Hermosillo, OF
*14. Jesus Castillo, RHP
*21. Jake Jewell, RHP
27. Osmer Morales, RHP
30. Damien Magnifico, RHP
Los Angeles Dodgers (2)
*12. Dennis Santana, RHP
*14. Trevor Oaks, RHP
Miami Marlins (7)
*6. Merandy Gonzalez, RHP
10. Jeff Brigham, RHP
*22. Pablo Lopez, RHP
23. Ricardo Cespedes, OF
24. Isael Soto, OF
*25. Caleb Smith, LHP
26. John Norwood, OF
27. Austin Dean, OF
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Miguel Del Pozo, LHP
Garrett Cooper, INF
Braxton Lee, OF
James Needy, RHP
Milwaukee Brewers (4)
*9. Mauricio Dubon, SS/2B
*11. Freddy Peralta, RHP
*15. Marcos Diplan, RHP
*19. Jacob Nottingham, C/1B
Minnesota Twins (7)
*3. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP
9. Kohl Stewart, RHP
10. Lewin Diaz, 1B
*15. Lewis Thorpe, LHP
*16. Zack Littell, RHP
23. Jake Reed, RHP
28. Nick Burdi, RHP
New York Mets (7)
*11. Luis Guillorme, SS
12. Wuilmer Becerra, OF
15. Jhoan Urena, 3B
17. Luis Carpio, SS
20. Ali Sanchez, C
*27. Corey Oswalt, RHP
*30. Gerson Bautista, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Tyler Bashlor, RHP
New York Yankees (6)
*1. Gleyber Torres, INF
*6. Domingo Acevedo, RHP
*7. Albert Abreu, RHP
*17. Thairo Estrada, SS/2B
*18. Jake Cave, OF
*23. Billy McKinney, OF/1B
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP
Oakland A's (4)
*4. Jorge Mateo, SS/OF
*13. Yairo Munoz, INF/OF
*18. Ramon Laureano, OF
*20. Heath Fillmyer, RHP
26. Casey Meisner, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Lou Trivino, RHP
Philadelphia Phillies (5)
*7. Franklyn Kilome, RHP
*14. Ranger Suarez, LHP
16. Jose Gomez, INF
23. Carlos Tocci, OF
*28. Seranthony Dominguez, RHP
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Jose Taveras, RHP
Pittsburgh Pirates (6)
*1. Austin Meadows, OF
*16. Luis Escobar, RHP
19. Yeudy Garcia, RHP
26. Tyler Eppler, RHP
*29. Dario Agrazal, RHP
30. Adrian Valerio, SS
San Diego Padres (0)
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Jose Castillo, LHP
Brad Wieck, LHP
San Francisco Giants (5)
*3. Tyler Beede, RHP
*8. Aramis Garcia, C/1B
20. Sam Coonrod, RHP
21. Jordan Johnson, RHP
24. Kelvin Beltre, 2B
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Tyler Herb RHP
D.J. Snelten LHP
Seattle Mariners (5)
12. Luis Liberato, OF
13. Anthony Jimenez, OF
14. Greifer Andrade, OF
22. Ian Miller, OF
28. Chuck Taylor, OF
St. Louis Cardinals (3)
*4. Tyler O'Neill, OF
*15. Austin Gomber, LHP
*18. Oscar Mercado, OF
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Derian Gonzalez, RHP
Tampa Bay Rays (6)
*1. Brent Honeywell, RHP
*5. Jake Bauers, OF/1B
*10. Justin Williams, OF
*19. Yonny Chrinos, RHP
*23. Ryan Yarbrough, LHP
25. Nick Cuiffo, C
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Diego Castillo, RHP
Jose Mujica, RHP
Texas Rangers (6)
*9. Ariel Jurado, RHP
*10. Brett Martin, LHP
*12. Joe Palumbo, LHP
*13. Jose Trevino, C
*21. Jonathan Hernandez, RHP
28. Michael De Leon, SS
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, INF
Ronald Herrera, RHP
Toronto Blue Jays (9)
8. Max Pentecost, C/1B
*11. Conner Greene, RHP
*12. Rowdy Tellez, 1B
*17. Danny Jansen, C
19. Jordan Romano, RHP
*21. Thomas Pannone, LHP
23. Francisco Rios, RHP
24. Patrick Murphy, RHP
30. Angel Perdomo, LHP
Non-Top 30 prospect added:
Reese McGuire, C
Washington Nationals (4)
*12. Kelvin Gutierrez, 3B
18. Drew Ward, 3B
23. Taylor Gushue, C
26. Osvaldo Abreu, SS/2B
Non-Top 30 prospects added:
Wander Suero, RHP
Jefry Rodriguez, RHP