Major League Baseball (MLB) also has its own way of recruiting new players to the league like NBA, NFL, MLS and NHL. The MLB Draft serves as the entry point for college and high school level talented players to the world of professional baseball.
The young players at high school and colleges develop their skills throughout their duration so that they get noticed by MLB scouts. Once they reach the appropriate age, they can enter the MLB Draft. The MLB teams keep an eye out for talented young players through their scouts and then officially recruit these players into the team through the draft. The MLB Draft continues for twenty rounds and it sees many new players getting drafted into various MLB teams. It also helps these players to become professionals and start earning professional salaries through signing contracts with the teams. 2024 is also going to witness new players being added to various MLB teams through the 2024 MLB Draft on 14th-16th July 2024.
Duration for Players Entering the MLB Draft
A player from a college or a high school can enter the MLB Draft several times as long as they are eligible. During the MLB Draft, sometimes players reject their picks with the teams. A major reason for this is that often they feel that they are not ready. Additionally, players also want to gain more experience and develop their skill sets further by playing college baseball. Sometimes players want to improve their draft position, thereby leading them to not signing with the team. Lastly, both player and the team not able to reach a mutual agreement on their contracts and signing bonuses can also lead to players declining being picked in the draft.
Notably, if a player is drafted but does not sign with his team, then he can again enter the MLB Draft the next year as long as does not become ineligible. This can continue until the player finally gets drafted. Popular players who entered the draft multiple times include Gerrit Cole, Chris Sale, Ian Kinsler, Aaron Judge, Kris Bryant and George Springer among others as per gamedaynews.com.
How can Players Enter the MLB Draft?
Players can use the regulations stated by the Rule 4 Draft for entering the MLB Draft as per mlb.com. According to this, players entering the MLB Draft have to be a resident of the United States, Canada or U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and others. Additionally, if players have graduated from high school but not yet attended college yet, they can enter the MLB Draft. If players complete one year of junior or community college, they can also enter the MLB Draft. However, players that are attending four year colleges must at least either become 21 years old or complete their junior and third year of college to enter the MLB Draft.
FAQ's On Player Enter the Draft
A. Yes, players can enter the MLB Draft multiple times as long as they remain eligible.
A. A player can only enter the MLB Draft once he is eligible by following the rules according to the Rule 4 Draft.
A. Yes, players can get drafted into the MLB directly from their high schools without attending colleges.
A. Yes, 23 players have skipped the minors and gone on straight to MLB after getting drafted.
A. It does not cost anything for players to enter the MLB Draft.
