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.”
The few sources I've reached out to about the no draft possibility have all said it seems far-fetched. However I still think everyone is trying to figure this whole mess out. We'll see. #MLBDraft
— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) March 19, 2020
Baseball America’s JJ Cooper added that MLB is exploring a number of options and that nothing has been set in stone.
To follow up on the AP reporting about the MLB draft/July 2. What I have been told is that nothing on any of this is certain. And also because of the unprecedented nature of this current situation, MLB is eyeing a massive array of options on everything.
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) March 19, 2020
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.
