The MLB Draft Is Changing — And Not for the Better

Major League Baseball held its annual draft today, beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET. This draft could be one of the last of its kind. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is pushing for big changes to how the league finds and signs young players. Many fans, writers, and players think those changes would be bad for the sport.

MLB and its players' union are working on a new labor deal before a likely lockout this winter. A lockout happens when team owners and players cannot agree on the rules of the sport's business. Both sides have been sharing ideas, and one of MLB's proposals is a huge shift from how things have always been done.

The league wants to make three major changes. First, it wants to create an international draft for players from outside the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Second, it wants to shorten the domestic draft from 20 rounds to 12. Third, it wants to ban high school players from the draft, requiring players to be at least 20 years old and two years out of high school.

Critics say these changes would hurt the sport in serious ways. Fewer rounds means fewer players get a real shot at a professional career. History shows that many great players were picked after the 12th round, and those players might never get their chance under the new rules.

The idea of keeping high school players out of the draft is the biggest concern for many fans. Stars like Bryce Harper and Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Konnor Griffin were drafted right out of high school and reached the majors at age 19. Under the new rules, fans would have to wait years longer to watch those kinds of players perform at the highest level.

MLB says keeping high school players out would save money on scouting and development. It is easier and cheaper to scout a few hundred college programs than thousands of high schools. But many argue that saving money should not come at the cost of the sport's history and its fans' enjoyment.

Baseball writer Joe Sheehan said the league's proposal would cut the sport off from its own past. The league "proposes to sever that tie to the game's history." It is hard to see why anyone other than team owners would support these changes.

In other news, Jannik Sinner reached the Wimbledon men's final for the second straight year. The 24-year-old Italian defeated seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the semifinals. Sinner will play Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday.

NBA star Victor Wembanyama signed a five-year contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs worth around $252 million. The 22-year-old center, nicknamed "the Alien," averaged 23.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game in the postseason. He is widely considered one of the most unique players in NBA history.

In soccer, the World Cup quarterfinals feature a big matchup between Norway and England. Superstars Erling Haaland and Harry Kane will be on opposite sides of the field. It is one of the most exciting games of the tournament so far.