DRAFT

How is the draft selection order determined? Major League clubs select in reverse order of their league standing at the close of the preceding season. The club with the worst record selects first with the leagues alternating selections to form the rotation. The National League selects first in even years.

How many rounds are the in the draft? Due to a rule change in 1998, all drafts starting with the 2002 June Amateur Draft last 50 rounds. If a team decides to pass in a given round, that team is done drafting. If all teams are done drafting before 50 rounds have been completed, the draft is over.

Who is eligible for the draft? Any player who is a resident of the U.S., U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico) and Canada is eligible for the draft, specifically: Players who have graduated from High School 4-year College players who've completed either their Junior or Senior years, or are 21 years or older within 45 days following the draft All Junior College (JuCo) Players All 21 year old players

What does draft and follow mean?

Draft and follow, otherwise known as draft-follow-evaluate (DFE) applies to the June Amateur Draft. DFE candidates are players that choose to attend a junior college instead of signing with the drafting team. A team has rights to that player until shortly before the next year's draft. If the player does not sign with the team, he is eligible to re-enter the June Amateur Draft.

How does the "Rule 5 Draft" work? A player is eligible for the offseason Rule 5 draft if he is not on the 40-man Major League Roster if he was 18 or younger when he first signed a pro contract and this is the fourth Rule 5 draft since he signed or if he was 19 or older when he first signed a pro contract and this is the third Rule 5 draft since he signed. A player drafted in the Rule 5 draft must remain in the majors, be it on the 25-man roster or the disabled list, for all of the following season, or the club that drafted him must return him to his original club. Since a player to is returned must first be place on waivers, a third club can claim the player. The claiming club would then be responsible to the same rules placed upon the team that drafted him in the Rule 5 draft.

What is the draft order for the Rule 5 Draft? Teams select in reverse order of that season's finish, with the American and National leagues alternating the No. 1 pick from year to year.

Does it cost anything to draft a Rule 5 selection? Yes. The selection price was increased in 1985 to $50,000 from $25,000.

Is there more than one segment to the Rule 5 draft? Yes. There are Triple-A and Double-A segments of the Rule 5 draft, with price tags of $12,000 and $4,000 respectively.