The MLB Amatuer Draft is today on MLB Network and I have absolutely ZERO interest in watching it. Why? Because it, like the MLB All-Star Game, is pointless... at least until my friend Rory, who is on a college scholarship, is eligible for the MLB Draft. Look I have loved baseball since infancy and I find interest in player development, Spring Training and the Minor Leagues. But I don't care about the baseball draft! The MLB Draft is different than the NFL Draft because there are no Minor League teams in football. Also, ½ of all MLB Draft picks are from High School and for every one Mike Trout, there are five Dustin Ackley's. I will only watch the MLB Draft if these two changes occur:
1. You can trade ANY draft pick
No change could skyrocket the popularity of the MLB Draft than if the Seattle Mariners announced they were trading their 1st 5 draft picks (and a .190 hitting backup catcher) to Anaheim for Mike Trout. Also, to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's credit, he's considering doing this: Letting teams trade draft picks for bona-fide superstars. It's brilliant!
2. Your 1st round draft pick MUST be on the Major League Roster by August 31st otherwise no draft picks for you
In the 51 years of the MLB Draft there have been twenty-one players who were drafted and called up with no Minor League time. That's not twenty-one first rounders, twenty-one picks out of the millions of draftees from the past 51 years! Additionally, The only two who were worth a damn were John Olerud and Dave Winfield! The average Minor Leaguer spends 3-5 years in the Minors. So I have to get excited about a player who won't be up until 2017? To change the MLB Draft, 1st rounders must be on the active 25-Man Major League roster by Auguat 31st, otherwise your round 2-7 draft picks are voided.
If these things were to happen, the MLB Draft would matter more for me. It would be interesting to see which star player would be traded for a few top draft picks. If you want the MLB Draft to be exciting, these ideas would sure do the trick.
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