UPDATE: Astros add 7 players to 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft

The baseball hot stove is burning hot for the Astros, as general manager Jeff Luhnow has already made one trade to clear up roster space -- sending Jonathan Villar to Milwaukee. Now the Astros have added five place to their 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft.

The players added were right-handed pitchers Jandel Gustave, Juan Minaya, Joe Musgrove and David Paulino and catcher Alfredo Gonzalez. The Astros' 40-man roster currently stands at 39 players. Players left unprotected by 7 p.m. ct., will be subject to being drafting the 2015 Rule 5 Draft at MLB's Winter Meetings.

Among the players left unprotected for the Astros are left-hander pitcher Reymin Guduan, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, right-hander Chris Devenski, outfielder Danry Vasquez, right-hander Brady Rodgers, outfielder Andrew Aplin, infielder Nolan Fontana, and right-hander Kyle Smith.

The Rule 5 allows teams to select players that are in major league system after five season without being put on the 40-man roster. If selected players must stay on the 25-man roster for the duration of the season -- minus a few rules about disabled list time.

The Astros were subject to this last season as they lost their first-round draft pick of 2010, Delino DeShields, to the Rangers for basically nothing after leaving him unprotected.

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Just before the 7 p.m. deadline. The Astros made a few more roster moves. The Astros have designated outfielder L.J. Hoes for assignment and added outfielder Andrew Aplin and infielder Nolan Fontana to the 40-man roster. The Astros roster is now at a full 40.