This is a prime opportunity for teams that were looking at the next two amateur drafts as potential franchise-altering drafts. The 2020 draft could have as few as five rounds this year. This means that the 2021 draft could potentially be stacked with talent that is not selected this year.
Baseball, unlike other sports, produces more big-league talent in the later rounds than any other sport. It is, by far, the longest draft among the major U.S. sport leagues, stretching as far as 40 rounds. Players like Kevin Kiermaier, Jose Bautista, Andy Petitte, and future HOF Albert Pujols are just some of the names that come to mind when thinking of great major league talent that were drafted in the mid-to-late rounds. And in a draft like this year’s, they would’ve been left out and pushed back to 2021.
A factor that will play a role this year and in next year’s draft is that college and high school players lost their 2020 season. Many amateur players would rather build up their stock a little more, rather than risk it after not playing the 2020 spring season. The NCAA has also granted Division I spring sport athletes an extra year of eligibility likely making even more college players play one more year before declaring for the draft.
It is a difficult time for the players who are not only losing their seasons and delaying their draft year, but will also be earning less in signing bonuses. According to the agreement between the MLB and MLBPA, undrafted players must sign for no more than $20,000 furthering the chances of college and high school players waiting a year or two more before declaring.
The teams on the other hand, will try and get the most out of the ’21 draft which has all the makings of being the most stacked draft of all-time. The Detroit Tigers hold the first overall pick this year, followed by the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, and Toronto Blue Jays. Whoever lands a coveted top-5 pick after this season will be in a prime position to add an abundance of high-caliber young talent.