MLB Draft Rules

The MLB Draft is used by the league to recruit upcoming and talented new players to its different teams. Once drafted, these players then start their professional careers in the minor leagues before eventually making their debut in MLB.

The MLB Draft is conducted annually with several rules and regulations that ensure that new players can be effectively recruited into the teams. These rules and regulations are mentioned in The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book. The book provides the rules to be followed for drafting college players, age rules, economic rules, eligibility rules, rule 5 and age limit for the players. The 2024 MLB draft is all set to take place from July 14, 2024, to July 16, 2024. This year will also see the implementation of different rules to ensure that all the team can draft their chosen players effectively and successfully this year.

MLB Draft Rules for College Players

The MLB Draft rules for college baseball players suggest that if such players attend four years of college, they should be drafted after they complete their third or junior year or at least turn 21 years of age. Moreover, players who have completed at least one year of junior college can also be drafted as per the official MLB website.

MLB Draft Eligibility Rules

The MLB Draft eligibility rules for the players follow the Rule 4 Draft. It states that a player should be a resident of the United States, Canada, U.S. territories like Puerto Rico or other places to become eligible for the draft. If these players graduated from high school but have not joined a college yet, they are also eligible for the MLB Draft. Moreover, the players should not have signed a previous MLB or MiLB contract to become eligible for the draft. Lastly, if the players are members of junior and community colleges, then they are also eligible for the MLB Draft.

MLB Rule 5 Draft Rules

The Rule 5 Draft is an important part of the entire MLB Draft process. It is held every December and allows MLB teams that do not have a full roster of 40 players to select some players from the non-40 roster of the other teams. Notably, if a player signed is 18 years or younger, then he should be added team’s 40-man roster within five seasons or else he will become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. In the case of players who are 19 years old or older, they need to be protected within four seasons.

The team that picks players from the other teams are required to pay them $100,000 for said player. Moreover, the team should also directly add their drafted players to their 26-man roster in the upcoming season. However, if the player clears waivers, he can be returned back to his former team for $50,000. Moreover, he can also be sent to the minor leagues if his former team is no longer interested in having him back.

What is the age limit for the MLB Draft?

The age limit for getting drafted in the MLB is from 18 years to 21 years old. This applies both to high school graduate students and college students who have at least turned 21 years old or completed their third or junior season of college baseball.