Major League Baseball has unveiled a draft proposal that would bar high school players from entering the draft and would let college athletes declare after their sophomore seasons.
The move is being negotiated as part of a new collective bargaining agreement that is set to replace the current deal, which expires on December 1.
Redefining the Path to the Pros
If adopted, the rules would shift the traditional pipeline, keeping elite prospects in college longer and altering the dynamics of scholarship allocation and name, image and likeness earnings.
College baseball has already been transformed by expanded scholarship limits, new NIL opportunities and multimillion‑dollar facility upgrades, making the collegiate route an increasingly attractive alternative to the minor leagues.
Programs such as Tennessee, which recently secured the nation’s third‑ranked 2026 recruiting class under coach Tony Vitello, illustrate how top talent is now gravitating toward schools that can offer both competitive exposure and financial incentives.
The draft itself is seeing fewer high school selections, with only 96 prospects signed in the 2025 edition and a continued downward trend. This year, 140 high school players were invited to the MLB Combine, but they will compete against a total of 334 players, underscoring the growing depth of the college pool.
Stakeholders warn that the outcome of the negotiations could usher in a new era for the sport, reshaping how talent is developed, marketed and ultimately funneled into the major leagues.