MLB Draft shortened to 5 rounds

Good news for those trying to find time to watch the entire 2020 MLB Draft. It will be much, much shorter than usual in 2020, with this year’s domestic amateur talent influx reduced from 40 rounds to just five, per multiple reports.

From Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel at ESPN: “The plan, which has been relayed to scouting directors, will allow teams to sign an unlimited number of undrafted players for $20,000. The draft is expected to begin June 10.”

MLB and the players association agreed to a deal on March 27 that allowed the league to hold a draft anywhere from five to 40 rounds this year, and as few as 20 rounds in 2021. There were reported proposals that could have made this year 10 rounds, but with restrictions. Per Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich at The Athletic:

The commissioner’s office made a proposal to the union, as previously reported by The Athletic, that would have solidified a 10-round draft, but it came with other trade-offs that the Players Association determined were too restrictive, including slot amounts in rounds 6-10 at half their 2019 values and a limit of five undrafted players who could sign for a $20,000. The union rejected the proposal.

The Angels pick 10th overall in the first round, and have four picks in five rounds. They forfeited their second-round pick by signing free agent Anthony Rendon to a seven-year, $245 million contract in December. The slot value of that 10th overall pick is $4,739,900, per MLB.com. The total bonus slot values for the four Angels picks is $6,397,100, down from what would have been $7,413,800 in a 10-round draft.