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Draft  | Story | 5/12/2010

DRAFT MECHANICS—When, What, How, Who

Allan Simpson
DRAFT '10
DRAFT MECHANICS—When, What, How, Who
WHEN
Monday-Wednesday, June 7-8-9
WHAT
Major League Baseball's first-year player draft was initiated in 1965, making it the last of the four major professional sports to adopt a draft as the primary means to equitably distribute the bulk of amateur talent entering the game.

The draft has always been held in June. Historically, it was conducted on the first Tuesday of the month, but it has been held on a more random basis in recent years. This year, it will begin on a Monday and will run three days.

It will be conducted by conference call among the 30 major league clubs. The clubs take turns selecting players in reverse order of their 2009 won-loss records, regardless of league, with adjustments in the first three rounds (as noted on the accompanying draft order of rotation).

The draft consists of 50 rounds—as opposed to two rounds in the NBA draft, seven in the NFL draft and 12 in the NHL draft. Each club is entitled to select for 50 rounds, but is not required to do so. Last year represented the first year in draft history that all big-league clubs drafted the maximum allotted players.

The Washington Nationals have the No. 1 selection, marking the second year in a row they have had the dubious distinction. It marks only the second time that one team has picked first in consecutive drafts. The Tampa Bay Rays drafted first overall in both 2007 and 2008, selecting Vanderbilt lefthander David Price and Georgia high-school shortstop Tim Beckham, respectively.

HOW
For years, the draft originated from the commissioner's office in New York, but for the fourth year in a row the early portion of the draft will be held at a remote location.
In 2007 and 2008, the first five rounds originated from Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Fla., with the first round televised by ESPN and its family of networks. Last year, the draft originated from the new MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J., and was spread over three days – not two as was customary for years.

The first round and supplemental first round (50 picks in all) are scheduled for June 7 in prime time, and will be televised by the MLB Network. Numerous club officials and projected first-round picks are scheduled to be in attendance.

Day Two and Three of the proceedings will be conducted in normal fashion from the commissioner’s office. The draft will resume with Round 2 on June 8, and continue through approximately 30 rounds. The balance of the draft will be conducted on June 9.

Each team will be allowed up to five minutes to select a player in Round 1, with one minute permitted in the compensation round. Teams will continue to draft players until they pass or reach the 50th round, whichever comes first.

The club that drafts a player will generally contact the player immediately after the selection. No team may draft a player unless it has registered the player's name with the commissioner's office, or his name has been submitted by the Major League Scouting Bureau.

The team that selects a player has the sole negotiating rights to the player and must submit a written minor-league contract within 15 days of selection. Failure to do so, however, no longer allows players to become free agents – as was the case in 1996, when four first-rounders took advantage of a loophole in the draft rules to push for and become free agents. All four players subsequently signed lucrative deals with the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks or Tampa Bay Devil Rays – notably Pennsylvania high-school righthander Matt White, who received a record $10.2 million bonus from the Rays. White never played in the big leagues.

Some significant rules changes were enacted with the 2007 draft. They were adopted as part of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players Association in October 2006.

Previously, a club's negotiating rights to a player attending a four-year college were lost as soon as the player physically entered his first class at the beginning of the fall semester. For a player attending junior college, the selecting club retained the negotiating rights to the player until one week before the following year’s draft. This was commonly referred to as the draft-and-follow process.

But the new rules established a firm universal signing deadline of Aug. 16 – for all players (excluding college seniors whose eligibility has been exhausted). If a team does not sign a player by that date, it is forbidden from signing that player, regardless if he attends a four-year school or two-year school or simply chooses not to attend or return to college. Effectively, the draft-and-follow rule, which had been in place for 20 years, was abolished with the 2007 draft.

A player who is drafted and does not sign with the club that selected him may be drafted again in a future draft, as soon as he meets the eligibility requirements again. Correspondingly, any player who is eligible to be selected but is passed over altogether automatically becomes a free agent, free to sign with any club.
Additional provisions of the 2006 CBA agreement awarded clubs supplementary picks for the loss of ranked free agents or their failure to sign picks selected in the second and third rounds of the previous year’s draft.

Teams that have lost a Type ‘B’ free agent during the off-season are now awarded a supplemental first-round pick, but only after compensation is awarded to teams losing Type ‘A’ free agents. There are eight Type ‘A’ free agents in this year’s draft and 10 Type ‘B’ free agents.

Prior to the start of the second round, there also will be two compensation selections awarded to clubs that did not sign first-round draft picks in 2009. The Texas Rangers pick 15th pick for failing to sign Texas high-school lefthander Matthew Purke, while Tampa Bay earns the 31st pick for not signing Florida high-school outfielder LeVon Washington. With 20 extra selections, that means the second round will start effective with the 51st pick.
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Draft | Story | 7/20/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Roster Challenge
Tyler Henninger
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With the 2026 MLB Draft complete, our own draft team put together a fun exercise. Using a snake style draft format, we each had to build a roster using players selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. There was one catch. Each team could select only one player from each of the first 10 rounds, plus one player from Rounds 11-20. You did not have to go in order of each round, meaning you could jump between rounds and pick which players you thought had the most value. Each team installed a different strategy, balancing between star power, positional value, and depth. You tell us, which team do you think has the most talent? Team Albee C: Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech (1st rd) 1B: Will Adams, Hoover HS (11th rd) MIF: Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (2nd rd) MIF: Eric Guevara, Auburn (7th rd) 3B: Robert Omidi, Fieldhouse Pirates (8th rd) OF: Kevin Roberts Jr, Jackson Prep HS (4th rd) OF: Alex...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/22/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 5

Perfect Game Staff
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15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Noah Rumley (‘29 NC) has been up to 90 so far in this start w/ 8 Ks in 4 innings of work. Really jumps out of the hand at foot strike w/ some ride to it; has also mixed in a SL w/ horizontal action. #WWBA @PG_Coastal pic.twitter.com/OcU57a3Syl — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 21, 2026 Noah Rumley (2029, Summerfield, N.C.) got the ball for GBC Lopez 2029 15u in their final game of pool play and dominated, going up against a tough lineup in the East Cobb Astros. The 6-foot-2 left-handed pitcher ended up going five innings, allowing only one hit and one run, while striking out nine. It’s premium stuff at the 15u level as he worked easily in the upper-80s, topping at 90 mph in the first. The breaking ball showed two-plane shape in the upper-70s as well. There’s a ton of things to like already and even...
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Tournaments | Championship | 7/22/2026

Champions Named at Southwest Select

Emily Hicks
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Another week of Perfect Game baseball concluded as champions were crowned in the 15U, 16U, and 18U divisions of the Southwest Select Championship. After several days of pool play and championship bracket action, three teams rose above the competition to capture tournament titles following a week of high-level baseball. Throughout the tournament, teams from across the Southwest and beyond competed in closely contested matchups, producing standout pitching performances, timely offense, and memorable defensive plays. As the bracket narrowed, each division featured championship-caliber baseball before the final trophies were awarded. 15U Championship The 15U division title was claimed by AZ Prodigy, who defeated Nomadic 14U Premier by a score of 2-1 in the championship game. After putting together a strong tournament run, AZ Prodigy continued its momentum in the title game with contributions...
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All American Game | Story | 7/22/2026

PG All-American Classic Roster Reveal

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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME ANNOUNCES TEAM ROSTERS FOR 2026 DICK'S ALL-AMERICAN CLASSIC AT CITIZENS BANK PARK   The rosters span 20 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Canada, with California leading the way Jersey City's Finnian O'Loughlin gives the host region a player in the spotlight Field includes sons of Hall of Famer Frank Thomas & MLB All-Star Brad Hawpe   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Wednesday, July 22, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the Team East and Team West rosters for the 2026 DICK'S All-American Classic, set for Sunday, August 16 at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. The 60-player field represents the top...
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Tournaments | Championship | 7/22/2026

Florida Burn Cruise to 17U BCS Crown

Alyssa Golden
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Ranked fifth nationally entering the tournament, Florida Burn 2027 Scout left no doubt who the best team was at the 17U BCS National Championship. Burn finished a perfect 9-0 tournament, earning an 11-1 semifinal victory before defeating No. 86-ranked Original Florida Pokers 2027 National, 9-1, Tuesday afternoon at JetBlue Park. Burn seized control early and never looked back in a game that ended after the fifth inning per Perfect Game’s mercy rule. Burn carried its explosive offense into the championship game as Braedon Mackay launched a two-run home run in the first inning, giving his team an early 2-0 lead. Mackay’s home run sparked a five-run opening inning, setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon. The Florida commit later earned tournament MVP honors after helping lead Burn to an unbeaten championship run. “I was just trying to get something started,”...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/22/2026

17u BCS Scout Notes: Days 2-3

Perfect Game Staff
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17u BCS Scout Notes: Day 1 Kenniel Nieves Medero (2027 SS, PR)  Nieves Medero put together another quality offensive showing, continuing the consistent production he displayed throughout the tournament. The 8.5 PG grade shortstop features quick hands and does an excellent job creating separation with strong hip rotation, allowing him to generate easy bat speed through the zone. The swing remains balanced and efficient with present feel for the barrel. A polished offensive profile with tools that continue to translate in game action.  Oscar Cambero (2027 3B, FL)  Cambero turned in an impressive offensive performance, smoking a triple into the gap while showcasing both speed and gap-to-gap power. The right-handed hitter generates quality bat speed and consistently impacts the baseball with authority. Plays with a high motor on both sides of the ball and competes with energy...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/22/2026

Texas Region Scout Notes

Geoff Billock
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Jack Soete (2028, Houston, Texas) had a big weekend for HP 2028 Woods. Went 4-9 at the plate with two doubles and a home run. Strong approach at the top of the order as well, drawing five walks. Closed stance with an athletic, projectable frame. Gains ground on the stride and stays on plane with his swing. Bat-to-ball ability is present and power should continue to develop. Lot to like from the athletic, left-handed bat. Kai Anderson (2028, Missouri City, Texas) was an absolute force for 2028 South Texas Sliders 16U Pierce. Went 4-8 with two doubles, six runs batted in, and a no-doubt walk-off home run in the semifinal. Some physicality in the frame. Leverages the upper half decently as he shows some ability to elevate with more than enough juice. Some pretty serious flashes as a middle of the order bat at the next level. Valentin Ceballos (2028, New Braunfels, Texas) was extremely loud...
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PG Select Baseball Festival | General | 7/21/2026

13u Select Festival Roster Reveal

Jheremy Brown
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With the completion of the 2026 13u National Showcase, an event that featured some of the best talent the age group has to offer, 42 players came out with the label of "Festivaler" as they received a phone call shortly after the event concluded. Moving back to the University of Tennessee after a two year stay at the University of Virginia, Ole Rocky Top will see a mixed bag of returners; three-timers, new faces and a couple who bridged the gap from the 11u game into the 13u iteration.  Of the 42 players, 9 players call Florida their home base which is the most of any state while Texas (8), California (7) and Georgia (5) are all close behind nearly three-quarters of the players selected. In total 17 different states are represented, from Hawaii to Arkansas, Washington to Maryland and everywhere in between.  Quick roster breakdown: Three-time Select Festival: 13 players ...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/21/2026

UBC Midwest X Atlantic Notes: Part 1

Blaine Peterson
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Jack Postma (2028, Barrington, IL) made an impression in Chicago this week. A 6-foot-5 right hander with a starter pitch mix. Topped out at 93 in his outing at UBC Midwest and pitched at 88-93 for 2 innings on the mound. Slider showed late horizontal bite at its best when finished out front. Change up is a usable third pitch with fading action and ability to miss bats. Clean overall operation in the delivery. Upside with added stability in the arm action. Chance to be one of the top prospects in Illinois and potentially the country with necessary adjustments moving forward.  Connor Basinski (2028, Columbia, IL) an athletic player with 2-way potential. Physicality stands out for a player in the 2028 class. Swung the bat impressively well in Chicago. Hits from a wide stance and stays balanced using strength and leverage to drive the baseball to all fields. Launched a long pull side...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/21/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 4

Perfect Game Staff
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15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 Mason Conner (2029, Palestine, Texas) was a force in the middle-of-the-order for Gold Culture. The right-handed hitter starts from a medium stance with in-line feet and a low handset with a low back elbow, utilizes a negative leg lift stride. Strides through and uncoils the lower half well and creates separation in the back shoulder. Solid hand speed with a flat bat plane and feel to leverage and lift. Impacts the ball well with feel to impact and drive. The shortstop showed the power upside belting a two-run homer over the fence in left field and added a two-RBI knock later in the game. Medium 6-foot, 175-pound frame that was consistently on the barrel and showed a good approach at the plate working two walks. Lennon Dunn (2029, Mansfield, Texas) competed and showed the upside on the mound for Stix 2029 Scout. The right-handed pitcher...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/21/2026

16U BCS Rolls into Fort Myers

Alyssa Golden
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The 21st annual 16U BCS National Championship returns to Fort Myers, Florida from July 23-27, bringing together many of the nation’s top 2028 graduates. The tournament features 44 teams, including six nationally ranked clubs, competing for a national title across five days of high-level competition. Year after year, the event has served as a proving ground for elite talent. Defending champion Showtime Select National 16U returns after capturing last year’s championship, while a talented field from across the country will look to add its name to the event’s prestigious history. One of the premier prospects in the field, shortstop Gabriel Coupet enters as the highest-ranked player in attendance, checking in at No. 49 overall in the Class of 2028 and No. 8 player in Florida. The Boynton Beach, Fla., native has established himself as one of the country’s most talented...
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