After much speculation regarding how the shutdown of both amateur and professional baseball would impact the MLB draft, we finally have our answer. The structure of the event has been completely overhauled, and the most jarring change is dropping the length of the draft from 40 rounds to five. This extreme reduction in the number of draft picks cuts 1,035 picks out of the draft. Financial concerns were also addressed – slot values will remain static, signing bonus pay will be deferred, and undrafted free agents cannot be signed for more than $20,000 dollars.
The threat posed to baseball by the shutdowns ensuing from COVID-19 precautions have the potential to be existential, and the way the MLB handles the sport’s recovery from it will be crucial in whether it will survive.