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#pounditFriday, March 29, 2024

MLB Draft not actually expected to be canceled?

Rob Manfred

Major League Baseball has suspended the start of its regular season due to the coronavirus outbreak, and one of the other significant changes that is being considered is the cancelation of the MLB Draft. One of the issues that could force the draft to be called off is the handling of service time, but apparently the league is hoping to work through that with the MLB Players’ Association.

On Wednesday, Ronald Blum of The Associated Press reported that MLB is considering nixing the draft and putting off its international signing period. The first day of the draft is currently scheduled for June 10, with the international signing period taking place from July 2 through July 15. But according to Carlos Collazo of Baseball America, MLB sources believe the idea of canceling the draft altogether is “far-fetched.”

Baseball America’s JJ Cooper added that MLB is exploring a number of options and that nothing has been set in stone.

Blum’s report says MLB has proposed crediting full service time for 130 games or more and proportional service for a shorter season, while the union wants players to get credit for a full season of service time even if the 2020 season is unable to be played. Opening Day will be no earlier than the middle of May this year after it was pushed back from March 26.

The NFL is proceeding with its draft as scheduled and making some significant procedural changes. However, there are no issues with service time in football, and that is obviously complicating things further for MLB.

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