The 2020 MLB draft will be five rounds this year, according to multiple reports.
This decision was heavily driven by Major League Baseball owners, as front office executives and scouts hoped the draft would be at least 10 rounds, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The decision to cut the draft to just five rounds will save teams a total of $29,578,100 — or about $1 million per team.
Major league teams will be allowed to sign as many undrafted free agents as they want, but undrafted free agents are limited to signing bonuses of $20,000.
The MLB draft begins June 10.
Among the 1,082 players who played in the major leagues last year, 180 were first-round picks and 589 were top-five-round picks, according to the Associated Press.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to BaseballProspectJournal.com for the latest information.
Read more stories on top 2020 MLB draft prospects here.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for five years. He’s interviewed 191 of the top draft prospects in that period, including three No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today and The Arizona Republic, have quoted his work, while he’s appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
