The changes to the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft weren’t entirely unexpected, but it was still a gut punch for many players who hoped to be picked next month.
MLB informed teams Thursday that it will cut the amateur draft from 40 rounds to five rounds to lower costs during the new coronavirus pandemic, according to multiple reports. Drafted players will have most of their signing bonuses deferred over the next two years. Undrafted players can sign for a maximum of $20,000.
There will be 160 players drafted this year, well below the 1,217 who were picked last summer.