The Yankees couldn’t protect everyone.
After stashing as many quality prospects as they could on their 40-man roster to ensure they remain with the franchise, the Yankees lost four players — the most of any team — Thursday in the major league Rule 5 draft: pitchers Nestor Cortes, Jose Mesa, Anyelo Gomez and first baseman Mike Ford.
Cortes and Mesa were selected by Baltimore, Gomez by Atlanta and Ford by Seattle.
While none is a top-shelf prospect, all had intrigue. Ford, a Princeton graduate, split time between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year, combining to slash .270/.404/.471 with 20 home runs in 126 games.
Cortes also rose as high as Triple-A last season, in which the left-handed swingman pitched to a 2.42 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings.
Mesa, the son of the former longtime major leaguer, reached Double-A last season, when the righty notched a 1.93 ERA in 84 innings, mostly in relief.
Gomez shot through the Yankees’ system last season, finally making a Triple-A appearance at the year’s close. The 24-year-old right-handed reliever had a 1.92 ERA in 70 1/3 innings.
Prospects can be subject to the draft if they have spent enough time in the minor leagues without being added to the team’s major league roster. The selected players now are added to the 25-man rosters of their new teams for next season, or else they are waived and can be offered back to their original team.
The Yankees had scrambled to clear as many roster spots as possible before the Nov. 20 deadline, protecting Gleyber Torres, Albert Abreu, Domingo Acevedo, Thairo Estrada, Billy McKinney, Jake Cave and Jonathan Loaisiga.