Major League Baseball will hold a five-round draft in June, a steep reduction from the 40-round draft held in 2019, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. MLB proposed a 10-round draft to the players’ union, but the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement.
The draft will be shortened for two primary reasons: The high school and college seasons ended in March because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, meaning teams were unable to evaluate prospects through the spring; and the minor leagues are not expected to play in 2020, leaving newly signed players with nowhere to go except major league spring training sites.