The MLB Draft is an annual amateur baseball draft in which every team takes turns selecting an eligible high school, college, and international players.
There are 2 phases of the MLB Draft: June 12th – Day 1 Also known as Round 1 & Competitive Balance Round A June 13th – Day 2 Also known as Rounds 2-10 (40 picks per round) June 14th – Day 3 Begins after pick #270 (210 picks in total)
The order of the draft is usually set by reverse order of the previous season’s standings, with some exceptions. The first round consists of 31 picks, while Rounds 2-10 are 30 picks each. The MLB Draft has 50 rounds in total (compared to the typical 40).
The Arizona Diamondbacks currently holds the record for most overall draft picks at 81 players selected since their expansion year in 1998.
When is the MLB Draft 2017?
The MLB Draft will be held on June 12th. It will alternate between June 12-14 yearly, and it takes place via conference call with all 30 teams’ front office executives dialing in. The first round of the 2017 draft is set to start at 7 PM ET/6 PM CT.
If you want to be drafted by an MLB team, you need to know what it takes.
It’s not just an arm that can throw 95 MPH or a bat that hits home runs every time – players need to be versatile in the field, and must show incredible stamina when they sprint.
The MLB Draft is not like the NFL Draft. If you are drafted, there is no guarantee you will play in the MLB.
You may never get traded or sent down to the minors. You could very well end up playing Independent League (or College) Baseball instead.
Independent League teams will draft high schoolers if their talent is good enough, but usually, college baseball players fall into this category.
Many great ballplayers started their careers by being drafted in the 21st round of the MLB Draft (or later), only to prove they could make it to the big leagues.
What are the qualifications needed for the draft?
- High school players must be 17 years old (or older) before July 1st to be draft eligible. College players can turn 19 (in the same year) without losing their eligibility. For example: if a player turns 19 in 2016, he could play college baseball until his Junior season ends in 2018 – at that point, he would then be able to enter the MLB Draft and sign with an MLB team.
- Anyone who has not previously been drafted by another MLB team is draft-eligible – including high school seniors, junior college players, college freshmen & sophomores, and anyone playing in the Japan League of Korea Baseball Organization. This means once you are drafted by one team, you can’t go back into the draft for another 3 years. Every so often, a player with MLB experience will be drafted, although this is rare because it limits the amount of money he can make from his contract.
- To be eligible to play in the minor leagues, players must be 18 years old (by September 1st) or have been out of high school for 4 years. In 2013, MLB introduced a rule that prohibits international players from signing professional contracts until they are at least 16 years old.
Who are some of this year’s top prospects?
– RHP A.J. Puk (Florida), LHP Jason Groome (Barnegat High School), C Chris Betts (Wilson High School – Long Beach), OF Mickey Moniak (La Costa Canyon High School), and SS Delvin Perez (International Baseball Academy) are just a few names being thrown around.
