How To Get Drafted To The MLB

by Editorial team

If you are hoping to have a career in professional baseball, it is important to know how to get drafted and what to expect. Here is a guide on everything you need to know about getting drafted to the MLB!

What To Know Before Getting Into The MLB Draft

Before I get into how to get drafted to the MLB, here is what you need to know beforehand.

The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is held every year in June by conference call amid the 30 Major League Clubs. The Clubs take turns choosing players in reverse order of their won-lost records at the end of the previous regular season. The order of selection is made without paying attention to the League.

The Major League Rules have power over which players are allowed to be a part of the selection in the Draft. These rules are thorough, but the basic eligibility criteria can be explained as follows: Normally, a player is allowed to be a part of the selection if the player is a resident of the United States or Canada and the player has never before signed a Major League or Minor League contract. Residents of Puerto Rico and other United States territories if they if you play well enough, they play well enough are allowed to be a part of the Draft. Also considered residents are players who enroll in a high school or college in the United States, no matter where they are originally from.

Particular groups of players are not qualified for selection, mainly because they are still in school. The basic categories of players that are allowed to be drafted are:

  • High school players, if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college
  • College players, from four-year colleges who have either finished their junior or senior years or are at least 21 years old
  • Junior college players, no matter how many years of school they have finished

 A Club normally keeps the rights to sign a chosen player up until 11:59 PM (EDT) August 15, or up until the player goes into, or goes back to, a four-year college on a full-time basis. A player who is drafted and does not sign with the Club that chose him might be drafted again at a future year's Draft, so long as the player is eligible for that year's Draft. A Club might not choose a player again in the following year except if the player has agreed to the re-selection.

A player who is allowed to be chosen and is overlooked by every Club becomes a free agent and can sign with any Club up until the player goes into, or goes back to, a four-year college full-time or goes into, or goes back to, a junior college.

Common Misconceptions Of How To Get Drafted To The MLB

There are many common misconceptions about how to get drafted to the MLB, but here are two that are incorrect!

  1. Who you know- Just because you know a player in an organization does not mean it is going to help you get drafted. Knowing the correct recruiter, coach, or high front office person might be helpful, but believe it or not, this will not promise anything.
  2. Social media- Being a social media giant is not going to help either. Uploading your videos on YouTube is an absolute waste of time. When you leap from high school or college to professional baseball you are moving into the business of baseball. Similar to any other business out there, they wish to be competitive and get the greatest employees out there. Professional recruiters are not searching online at Facebook and YouTube to discover their next 5th round outfielder.

3 Ways To Actually Get Drafted To The MLB

Now that I have told you 2 common misconceptions about how to get drafted to the MLB, let’s talk about 3 ways for you to actually get drafted to the MLB!

  1. Play skillfully- I apologize for stating the obvious, but there it is. The very best way to get noticed is to play skilfully. Also, to take things a step further, work on your hitting so you do not get into a hitting slump (but do not fail to look after your defense). If you are a one-dimensional player, a decline in your hitting can lead to a recruiter writing you off or getting you released. Baseball is a 5 tool sport, and the more tools you have, the more reasons for a team to want you!
  2. Play frequently- Playing on numerous teams will not only allow you to sharpen your skill through practice (baseball is a skill-specific sport where you have to work on your technique), but it presents you with extra chances to be noticed by recruiters. Play in as many games as you can. Play your high school or college season and play in a wood bat summer league. These summer leagues are all around the country. It can be beneficial to play in different parts of the country so different recruiters can see you play in your games.
  3. Play with the best of the best- Playing with players who are better than you will not only help to make you a better player, but it can even help you get seen. Even if recruiters are not lining up to see you play specifically, they may be there to see other prestigious players play. This provides you with an opportunity to play for these recruiters. Even though they are not necessarily there for you, they may take notice of you if you play well enough. Remember, it just takes one recruiter to believe in you!

What You Need To Know After Getting Drafted To The MLB

Since getting drafted to the MLB is a life-changing decision, I am going to tell you what you need to know after getting drafted, so if you happen to have gotten drafted, keep reading on!

Congratulations, you have just been selected for the 2021 baseball amateur player draft!

The baseball gods have smiled on you, and you can achieve anything you wish in life. At least for a little while, because as soon as you sign your name on that contract, your life is going to change in a mind-blowing way. 

You will become the property of a major league franchise and be sent off to the minor leagues to start the test that will decide the large portion of your life. It will be difficult, it will feel like forever, and it will make you question why you did not stay in school and work towards getting your degree.

It is important to not be afraid and make the entire process a lot more difficult than it needs to be. Make sure to play to the best of your ability, but make sure you are only playing for yourself, not because someone is in your ear telling you to.

 

 

Be sure to check out Ryan Weiss's coaching program and his other training programs to elevate your game.

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