MLB Draft Possible Changes

[txbo]

Is this the end of high school draft pick eligibilty?

 

[@1RBFjr]

Is this the end of high school draft pick eligibilty?

That article has a lot more to it than the headline alone.

On the whole, I don’t like most of the possibilities laid out in that article.

You don’t grow the game by cutting another level of the minor leagues. Lots of taxpayers and their governments have spent millions upon millions of dollars upgrading minor league ballparks in order to keep their minor league teams after MLB required new standards in the wake of major league baseball taking over minor league baseball.

 

[CobbWebb71]

Is this the end of high school draft pick eligibilty?

Very interesting!
I’d selfishly like to see more prep stars find their way to college campuses.
As far as dropping Single A ball and shortening the draft, you could see that coming a mile away.
The SEC alone has basically been double or even triple A ball for MLB, the last couple of years.
Guys are playing 2-3 years in the SEC, getting drafted and then being fast tracked to the bigs.
Gone are the days of a guy cutting his teeth for 5-6 years in the minors.

 

[CobbWebb71]

That article has a lot more to it than the headline alone.

On the whole, I don’t like most of the possibilities laid out in that article.

You don’t grow the game by cutting another level of the minor leagues. Lots of taxpayers and their governments have spent millions upon millions of dollars upgrading minor league ballparks in order to keep their minor league teams after MLB required new standards in the wake of major league baseball taking over minor league baseball.

Very valid point and one I had not thought about.

 

[feathersax]

Sounds like another scheme by Rob Manfred, who's been trying for years to destroy/dismantle minor league baseball. Like all sports, it's all about the $$$$.

 

[NighthawkVol]

College baseball would be injected with a huge infusion of talent. Which would mean a further rise in popularity. Which would means more money being paid to players.

 

[WaywardVol]

Is this the end of high school draft pick eligibilty?

The wash out rate for baseball players is insane when you look at getting to the majors. The minor leagues is a brutal path. Think it would improve college ball and double and triple A.

 

[@1RBFjr]

Not drafting highschoolers will not have a sizable effect on the quantity of players going to play college ball, but those players are generally of a higher quality.

The most recent stats I found were from the 2023 draft. There were 113 highschoolers drafted out of 614 picks that year (I didn’t see any stats for those who were drafted, but didn’t sign and went to play college ball instead). I’m guessing a top-tier program (read, in part, willing to pay the most) would be doing great if they got four of those players. Yes, that will push out to different programs lesser quality guys whose spot is being taken at the top tier level. Or maybe some go juco to be draft eligible after one year (unless that rule is changed).

MLB is shifting player development costs to college programs (and their fans), while probably ending affiliated baseball in more small towns across America.

 

[cncchris33]

If MLB disallowed HS kids from entering the draft, you may see an influx of high-level kids going the JUCO route where they are allowed to enter the draft after their first and second years. That is assuming that rule isn't also changed, of course.

 

[preacherman20]

I don't think they can disallow HS players from entering without also disallowing international players from entering until a certain age. That would be a lawsuit for sure.