Major League Baseball plans to hold the 2020 MLB Draft remotely, similar to how the NFL handled its much-awaited selection of players, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
As agreed to beforehand, this MLB Draft will consist of only five rounds, starting with Day 1 for the first round (37 picks) which will take place on June 10 at 7 p.m. The consequent four rounds (123 picks) will begin on June 11 at 5 p.m.
The MLB has cut down from the usual 40 rounds to a mere five, though teams can sign an unlimited number of players for up to $20,000 thereafter.
According to a recent memo from the league office, the head of baseball operations for every team (either president or general manager) will be sent a video it and will be on camera with no audio during the draft — much like it was done for the NFL.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred also outlined the league’s potential testing plan in a recent interview on CNN. The proposal includes testing players multiple times a week for those using a facility in Utah that the league helped convert to a COVID-19 testing lab.
Most players will get a test result in 24 hours, though on-the-spot instant testing will be available for symptomatic players, according to Passan.
Those who test positive will be put under quarantine until they’ve tested negative twice. Players who have been in contact with others who have tested positive will have access to instant testing as well to prevent the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Follow Us
Subscribe