Adding Players to MLB Reserve List

Only players on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) can be placed on an MLB Active List.

A free-agent with prior MLB and/or minor league service who signs a Major League contract must be added to his club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) when he is added to an MLB Active List or when the contract is filed with the MLB Commissioner (whichever comes first). Contracts must be filed with the MLB Commissioner within 20 days of signing.

A club must add a player to its MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) immediately if the player is acquired as the result of a waiver claim, or if a player on another club's 40-man roster is acquired in a trade, or if a player is selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft. 
NOTE: A player has up to 72 hours to report after being assigned from one MLB club to another. The player counts against the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) as soon as the player is claimed off waivers or as soon as a trade is filed with the MLB Commissioner, but the player does not count against the club's MLB Active List until he physically reports to the club and is in uniform. 

A player on an MLB 60-day Injured List who is eligible to be an Article XX-B MLB free-agent must be reinstated no later than 9 AM (Eastern) on the day after the final game of the World Series, and all other players on an MLB 60-day Injured List as well as any player on a minor league 60-day IL must be reinstated no later than 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series, even if the player did not spend 60 days on the IL.  

A player on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) who is given his Outright Release during the period of time extending from September 1st through the day prior to MLB Opening Day cannot be re-signed and added back to the MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) of the club that released the player until May 15th, and a player on an MLB 40-man roster who is given his Outright Release during the period of time extending from MLB Opening Day through August 31st cannot be re-signed and added back to the MLB Active List of the club that released the player for at least 30 days.   

A player can be placed on his club's Military List within 15 days of the date he is scheduled to report for duty, but only if the player is no longer physically with the club. A player on the Military List must be reinstated within 15 days after being released from service but a player on the Military List can spend up to 15 days on a minor league "conditioning" assignment prior to being reinstated to an MLB or minor league reserve list, and a player who is reinstated from the Military List after the MLB Rule 5 Draft but prior to MLB Opening Day does not count against his club's Reserve List until MLB Opening Day, or up to 15 days after MLB Opening Day if the player is on a minor league "conditioning" assignment during that period of time.   

An MLB player who is on the Voluntary Retired List or on the Ineligible List cannot be reinstated from August 1st through October 31st, and a minor league player on the Voluntary Retired List or on the Ineligible List cannot be reinstated from August 1st through the end of his club's season (including post-season).     

An MLB player who is on the Disqualified List or on the Restricted List for any reason other than extended Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency Leave or a suspension for violation of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program (ban on the use of a prohibited substance) or a suspension or leave of absence related to a violation or possible violation of the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse policy cannot be reinstated from August 1st through October 31st without consent of the MLB Commissioner, and a minor league player on the Disqualified List or on the Restricted List for any reason other than a suspension for a violation of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program cannot be reinstated from August 1st through the end of his club's season (including post-season) without consent of the MLB Commissioner. 

A player on the Ineligible List must be added back to his club's reserve list within 30 days after reinstatement if he is reinstated during the period of time beginning on the mandatory Spring Training reporting date and extending through July 31st or by Opening Day if he is reinstated during the off-season, and a player on the Restricted List or Disqualified List must be added back to his club's Reserve List 30 days after reinstatement or when he is placed on the club's Active List (whichever comes first) if the player is reinstated during the period of time beginning on the mandatory Spring Training reporting date and extending through the last day of the regular season or within 14 days after reinstatement if the player is reinstated during the off-season, but if the player is assigned to another club while on the Restricted List he must be placed on that club's Reserve List immediately after reinstatement.

A player on the Voluntary Retired List must spend at least 60 days of the regular season on the list before he can apply for reinstatement. If the player is placed on the Voluntary Retired List within 60 days of the conclusion of the regular season, the balance of the 60 days would carry-over into the next season.

In addition, an MLB club generally has the option to add any player who is on the reserve list of one of its minor league affiliates to its MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) at any time. 

The exceptions are:

1. A player on a minor league reserve list who is eligible for selection in the MLB Rule 5 Draft cannot have his contract selected and be added to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) during the period of time beginning with the filing of MLB and minor league reserve lists in November through the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft.

2. A player on a minor league reserve list cannot have his contract selected and be added to the MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) during the period of time beginning on the first official day of MLB Spring Training through March 14th. 

3. A "position-player" who was sent outright to the minors generally cannot have his contract selected and be added back to his club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) for at least ten days and a "pitcher" or a "two-way player" who was sent outright to the minors generally cannot have his contract selected and be added back to his club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) for at least 15 days. (A "position-player" outrighted to the minors during Spring Training generally cannot have his contract selected and be added back to his club's MLB 40-man roster for the first ten days of the MLB regular season and a "pitcher" or a "two-way player" who is outrighted to the minors during Spring Training generally cannot have his contract selected and be added back to his club's MLB 40-man roster for the first 15 days of the MLB regular season).
EXCEPTIONS: A "position-player," "pitcher," or "two-way player" is temporarily called-up as the extra player for a doubleheader (second game of the doubleheader only if two games were scheduled after a postponed game from earlier in the series) or other circumstances, or is called-up to replace a player on the MLB Active List who is traded, claimed off waivers, or placed on the MLB Injured List, Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List, Paternity Leave List, or Restricted List (but only pursuant to a suspension or administrative leave resulting from a violation or possible violation of the joint MLB-MLBPA JDV policy or a suspension resulting from a violation of the joint MLB-MLBPA JDPTP policy).
NOTE: A player temporarily called up as an extra man can remain on the Active List and a different player can be dropped the next day, as long as the extra man was not called up from the minors prior to spending at least ten days ("position-player") or 15 days ("pitcher" or "two-way player") on Optional or Outright Assignment. However, a player temporarily called up as an extra man prior to spending at least ten days ("position-player") or 15 days ("pitcher" or "two-way player") on Optional or Outright Assignment could remain on the MLB Active List if the player replaces a player who is traded, claimed off waivers, or placed on the MLB Injured List, Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List, Paternity Leave List, or Restricted List (but only pursuant to a suspension or administrative leave resulting from a violation or possible violation of the joint MLB-MLBPA JDV policy or a suspension resulting from a violation of the joint MLB-MLBPA JDPTP policy).   

4. If a minor league player on Outright Assignment has his contract selected and is called-up as the temporary extra man for a doubleheader or other circumstances and then is either optioned or outrighted back to the minors the next day, the "10-day rule" clock (for "position players") or "15-day rule" clock (for "pitchers" and for "two-way players") that prohibits a player from being called-up after being outrighted until he has spent at least ten days ("position-player") or 15 days ("pitcher" or "two-way player") on Outright Assignment does not reset or start over again. However many days toward ten (for a "position-player") or 15 (for a "pitcher" or for a "two-way player") that the player spent on Outright Assignment prior to having his contract selected and being temporarily called-up as the extra man counts toward the ten days (for a "position-player") or 15 days (for a "pitcher" or for a "two-way player") the player must spend on Outright and/or Optional Assignment. 

5. An unsigned minor league player who is eligible to be an MLB Rule 9 (formerly MLB Rule 55) minor league free-agent (player was previously released in his career and/or player has spent all or part of at least seven separate seasons on a minor league active list or disabled list) cannot have his contract selected and be added to his club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) any later than 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series (or 5 PM Eastern on October 15th if the World Series is canceled).