May 29th, 2020 at 8:50 am 
by Ron Cervenka * * *
- Five-Round Draft Will Be Held on Wed., June 10th and Thurs., June 11th;
- MLB Network, ESPN to Present Live Coverage on June 10th;
- MLB Network and ESPN2 to Continue Live Draft Coverage on June 11th;
- First Time Multiple Networks Will Televise the MLB Draft
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Major League Baseball announced on Friday that the first day of its 2020 Draft will be held on the originally planned date of Wednesday, June 10th, based out of MLB Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. MLB Network and ESPN will each produce live Draft coverage on Wednesday, June 10th, marking the first time that multiple networks will provide live primetime coverage of the MLB Draft. Beginning at 7:00 p.m. (ET), the coverage by both MLB Network and ESPN will include the first round (selections 1-29) and Competitive Balance Round A (selections 30-37).
Beginning at 5:00 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, June 11th, MLB Network and ESPN2 will televise the second round (beginning with the 38th overall selection) through the fifth round. The five rounds of the 2020 MLB Draft will span 160 total selections. The signing deadline for the 2020 Draft has been moved from July 10th to August 1st. In addition, Clubs may not assign their Competitive Balance Selections in this year’s event.
ESPN2 provided afternoon broadcasts of the 2007 and 2008 MLB Drafts from HP Field House (then known as the Milk House) at The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Each year since its 2009 debut, MLB Network has brought the Draft to fans from its Secaucus, New Jersey studios. Beginning next week, MLB Network will air six different MLB Draft preview programs ahead of its coverage on June 10th-11th.
As a result of the national emergency created by the pandemic, MLB will not hold its 2020 Draft in Omaha, Nebraska, the site of the NCAA’s Men’s College World Series (CWS), as announced last December. The Draft had been slated to be held at Omaha’s Holland Performing Arts Center and would have welcomed competing CWS teams to attend the festivities.
Comprehensive Draft coverage will be available on MLB.com and MLB Pipeline. The MLB Network Radio channel on SiriusXM will also offer live night one MLB Draft coverage to listeners nationwide beginning at 6:00 p.m. (ET), with SiriusXM hosts and former MLB general managers Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden offering analysis alongside SiriusXM’s Grant Paulsen and Mike Ferrin. On day two, June 11th, the MLB Network Radio channel will carry a simulcast of MLB Network’s live draft coverage beginning at 5:00 p.m. (ET). Coverage is available on Sirius channel 209, XM channel 89 and on the SiriusXM app.
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(Article courtesy of LA Dodgers)
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Who do you predict the Dodgers will take in the first round; number 29? MLB Jim Callis has them selecting University of Miami RH pitcher Slade Cecconi. The Athletic Keith Law has team selecting high school RHP Justin Lange. Mason McRae (Prospects 365) has the team re-drafting RHP JT Ginn (drafted in first round of 2018 draft). Baseball America predicts Dodgers will pick high school shortstop Ed Howard. MyMLBDraft has the Dodgers taking college shortstop Jordan Westerburg.
Not sure why they shortened the draft.
Who will benefit from a shortened draft? More free-agents to be had, so teams with great scouting departments and deep pockets?
IMO – shortened draft directly related to MLB’s intention to a significant reduction in minor league teams (40+) and the likelihood of no minor league season in 2020. Players not drafted limited to max bonus of $20K. Another effort of MLB to reduce expenses and increase bottom line.
Thank you for the info. That all makes sense.