MLB Rule 5 Draft: Indians select Chris McGuiness, lose Hector Rondon

The Cleveland Indians used the MLB Rule 5 Draft to select first baseman Chris McGuiness from the Texas Rangers' Double-A roster, and at the same time they lost reliever Hector Rondon to the Chicago Cubs and T.J. McFarland to the Baltimore Orioles. The team was disappointed to lose two pitchers, but he expressed his excitement about adding McGuiness and giving him a chance to make the Opening Day roster, via MLB.com:

"He plays a position where we're going to try to be creative to find someone to help our Major League team," said Ross Atkins, Indians vice president of player development. "He had a very good year in Double-A and a very productive Arizona Fall League.

"We feel like he's an average defender at first base already, and he could make an impact soon. We're excited about acquiring him."

McGuiness is a 24-year-old prospect who was originally selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft. In 2012, he hit .268/.366/.474 over 123 games in 530 plate appearances for the Rangers' Double-A affiliate in Frisco, Texas.

Rondon was coming off an elbow injury and did not get protected by the team in the draft process. MacFarland was a fourth-round pick of the Indians in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, and GM Chris Antonetti praised his command of three pitches in his repertoire.