Major League Baseball’s 2020 Draft apparently won’t be affected nearly as much as some initially thought.
The draft still will take place June 10 as scheduled, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman. Instead of being held in Omaha, however, the annual event will happen virtually.
It’s still unclear how many rounds there will be, though Sherman suggests it could go five or 10.
The MLB draft is still planned to be done June 10. Virtually of course. Was originally supposed to be in Omaha but of course there’s no College World Series now.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 28, 2020
2 sources confirm that MLB is closing in on making June 10 draft day as @JonHeyman reported. What is still not finalized is if the draft will be 5 or 10 rounds.
What do you think? Leave a comment.— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) April 28, 2020
There’s been plenty of uncertainty around MLB’s 2020 Draft, to say the least. Some have speculated the draft could be pushed back as far as July, while others suggested it might have been skipped altogether. Luckily for the league and fans alike, neither rumor came to fruition.
The NFL and WNBA already have held successful virtual drafts, too. Both leagues managed to rake in record numbers, with the WNBA garnering its biggest audience in 16 seasons while the NFL posted the highest-ever Draft viewership in league history. The NWHL held its own virtual draft Tuesday night, as well.
The MLB Draft might still be over a month away, but at least sports fans have something else to look forward to.