The upcoming baseball amateur draft is highly anticipated, with players like Charlie Condon from Georgia and Travis Bazzana from Oregon State potentially being the top picks. This year, Cleveland holds the first overall pick, followed by Cincinnati in the draft order.
Brian Barber, the Philadelphia Phillies assistant general manager of amateur scouting, mentioned that this year’s draft class is expected to be average, with college position players likely dominating the top half of the draft.
Condon, a standout 6-foot-6 third baseman and outfielder from Georgia, had an exceptional season leading the NCAA with a .433 batting average and 37 home runs. Meanwhile, Bazzana, a former cricket player from Australia now a second baseman at Oregon State, impressed with a .407 batting average along with 28 homers and 66 RBIs.
While most drafted players spend time in the minor leagues developing their skills, some, like Nolan Schanuel and Wyatt Langford, have made swift transitions to the major leagues shortly after being drafted.
There are rules regarding who can be subject to the draft, including players from the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Eligible players have a specific timeline to consider signing with a team, with different deadlines depending on their college status.
In terms of bonuses, the top pick from the previous draft, Paul Skenes, agreed to a $9.2 million bonus, showcasing the financial incentives for top talent in the draft. Scott Boras, a prominent sports agent, highlighted that despite these substantial bonuses, players are generally making less than before when evaluating franchise appreciation.
Teams are allocated bonus pools for signing players, with Cleveland having the largest pool for this year’s draft. There are regulations in place to prevent teams from exceeding their bonus pools significantly, as it could lead to penalties in future drafts.
Additional picks are given to some teams as compensation for various reasons, such as players winning Rookie of the Year awards or as a result of free agent departures.
Luxury tax implications have affected some teams’ draft positions, with consequences for those exceeding certain thresholds in their payroll.
