Are you also looking forward to the 2024 MLB Draft? This event, which takes place every year, serves as a gateway for young talent into the biggest baseball league in the world.
Since its inception in 1965, the Draft has been a crucial moment that shapes the future of MLB teams and has a direct impact on the narrative of the sport itself.
The eagerly awaited event defines the course of the league’s teams and leaves its mark on the history of American baseball. Here’s what the MLB Draft is, how it works, what the biggest bets are for the 2024 Draft and what else you need to know. Read on!
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What is the MLB Draft?
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league that operates in the United States and Canada. It is made up of 30 teams, 29 from the USA and one from Canada. In the MLB Draft, teams select players to join their organizations. It is designed to provide a fair method of distributing young talent among the league’s teams.
When will the MLB draft be in 2024?
The MLB Draft 2024 takes place from July 14 (Sunday) to July 16 (Tuesday).
How the MLB Draft works
The teams make their selections based on an order determined by the previous season’s standings. So what happens: whoever had the worst performance is selected first. In any case, teams can trade Draft picks among themselves.
The draft covers a wide variety of positions, including pitchers, hitters, defenders and specialized position players.
After being selected in the draft, players have the option of signing with the team that selected them or choosing to continue their career in college baseball.
What are the rules of the MLB Draft?
The MLB Draft has some important rules and nuances. To be drafted, a player must be a resident or have attended an educational institution in the United States or Canada.
The player must also never have signed a major or minor league contract. Players at four-year universities are eligible three years after first enrolling or after turning 21.
If a team loses a free agent who received a qualifying offer from the previous team, for example, it receives an additional pick in the draft. The additional pick takes place in the first round and is subject to restrictions.
In addition to the regular picks, teams can receive compensatory picks between rounds as a result of losing players eligible for the Draft. These picks are distributed based on the value of the outgoing player’s contract.
What will be the order of the MLB Draft in 2024?
The complete order of the MLB Draft is available on the official MLB website. Here’s what the first round looks like:
- Cleveland Guardians
- Cincinnati Reds
- Colorado Rockies
- Oakland Athletics
- Chicago White Sox
- Kansas City Royals
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Los Angeles Angels
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Washington Nationals
- Detroit Tigers
- Boston Red Sox
- San Francisco Giants
- Chicago Cubs
- Seattle Mariners
- Miami Marlins
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Tampa Bay Rays
- New York Mets
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Minnesota Twins
- Baltimore Orioles
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Atlanta Braves
- San Diego Padres
- New York Yankees
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Houston Astros
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Texas Rangers
Biggest bets in the 2024 MLB Draft
Among the biggest bets in the 2024 MLB Draft are Bryce Rainer (Harvard-Westlake), Ethan Schiefelbein (Corona), Burke Mabeus (Bishop Gorman), Mason Russell (Casteel HS), Duncan Marsten (Harvard-Westlake), Caden O’Leary (Farragut HS) e Derek Curiel (Orange Lutheran).
Below, you can see some of these promising names in action, in a compilation organized by MLB itself. Watch the video:
Best MLB Draft picks in history
The MLB Draft has helped mark the history of baseball by bringing in a number of great players – such as:
Ken Griffey Jr.
Selected first overall by the Seattle Mariners in the 1987 Draft, Griffey Jr. became one of the greatest hitters and defenders.
Mike Trout
Selected 25th overall by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2009 Draft, Trout quickly established himself as one of the MLB’s brightest stars, winning several awards.
Chipper Jones
Selected as the first overall pick by the Atlanta Braves in the 1990 Draft, Jones had a stellar career, being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.
Alex Rodriguez
Selected first overall by the Seattle Mariners in the 1993 Draft, Rodriguez went on to become one of the greatest hitters of all time, winning three American League MVP awards.
Derek Jeter
Selected sixth overall by the New York Yankees in the 1992 Draft, Jeter had a legendary career with the Yankees, winning five World Series and becoming a baseball icon.
Bryce Harper
Selected first overall by the Washington Nationals in the 2010 Draft, Harper quickly established himself as one of the MLB’s most polarizing stars, winning awards.
In addition to the MLB Draft, we also bring you content from various other sporting events. Follow our website:
- NFL Draft: what it is, how it works and when it will be in 2024
- NHL Draft: what it is, rules and biggest bets for 2024
- Baseball rules: plays, positions, goals and much more
