Braves Stand Pat at Rule 5 Deadline, Leave Mejia and Burkhalter Unprotected

As the Rule 5 Draft protection deadline came and went at 6 p.m. ET, teams across the league were busy shuffling their 40-man rosters, making sure their most promising prospects were shielded from being plucked away in December’s draft.

But in Atlanta, things stayed quiet-intentionally so. The Braves opted not to make any additions to their 40-man roster, leaving it unchanged heading into the next phase of the offseason.

That decision could raise some eyebrows, especially with a couple of intriguing arms left exposed-namely Ian Mejia and Blake Burkhalter.

Let’s start with Mejia, who was highlighted by MLB.com as Atlanta’s most difficult Rule 5 call. And for good reason.

The right-hander put together a strong 2025 campaign at Double-A Mississippi, finishing third in the Southern League in both ERA (2.62) and WHIP (1.06). He’s shown durability, logging over 120 innings in each of his three professional seasons-a trait that’s becoming increasingly valuable in today’s game.

But Mejia isn’t a high-strikeout guy. His fastball grades out as fringy, and he leans heavily on a slider that keeps hitters off balance but doesn’t necessarily dominate them. That profile gives him a lower ceiling, at least in the eyes of some evaluators, which may have factored into Atlanta’s decision to take the risk of leaving him unprotected.

Then there’s Blake Burkhalter, who quietly turned in a solid year across two levels of the minors. He racked up 103 innings over 32 appearances, posting a 3.32 ERA and a 3.53 FIP overall. Most of that work came in Double-A Columbus, where he started 14 games and looked sharp-his 3.13 ERA and 2.98 FIP across 72 innings showed he could handle a starter’s workload with efficiency.

Things got a bit bumpier after his promotion to Triple-A Gwinnett. Used more in a relief role, Burkhalter still managed to flash some potential, even picking up a save, but his numbers took a dip-he posted a 3.77 ERA and a 4.82 FIP in 31 innings with the Stripers.

Still, for a pitcher adjusting to a new role at a higher level, that’s not exactly cause for concern. If anything, it suggests he’s versatile, and that alone could make him an intriguing Rule 5 target.

So what does this all mean for the Braves? By not protecting either Mejia or Burkhalter, they’re gambling that other clubs might pass on selecting them-or, if they are taken, that they might not stick on a big-league roster all season, which would mean a potential return to Atlanta. That’s always the dance with the Rule 5 Draft: protect too many, and you clog up roster space; protect too few, and you risk losing a valuable arm for nothing.

For now, the Braves are choosing patience. Their 40-man roster remains untouched, and they’ll continue navigating the offseason with an eye toward more pressing needs. But come Rule 5 Draft day, all eyes will be on whether Mejia or Burkhalter find new homes-or if Atlanta’s quiet deadline strategy pays off.