WACO, Texas — The hopes of countless professional baseball prospects in 2020 were dashed.
Major League Baseball announced Friday that it would cut its amateur draft for the year from its normal 40 rounds to five. This means the number of opportunities for the Central Texas athletes who play at Temple College, McLennan Community College and Baylor to play professional baseball was cut by 87.5%.
Mitch Thompson, the longtime coach at JuCo powerhouse MCC, said he expected as many as five Highlanders to get selected before the cut was announced. Now, he said one, maybe two is expected.
Across town from Bosque River Ballpark, at Baylor, Steve Rodriguez said he'd be surprised if star infielder Nick Loftin was not the only one taken in the five-round draft.
"Somewhere in that top tier of the draft, for sure," Rodriguez said of his shortstop. "And after that, it's going to be a surprise."
He added that this includes his recruiting class, but that, "Surprises happen."
Thompson focused on the lack of opportunities this creates for not just his players, but all high school and collegiate baseball prospects. Normally, in baseball, players are tied to four-year schools for three years once they attend one. But they're draft-eligible at junior colleges each year.
"Where a kid may have the option of either signing of going on to a four-year school, now, it's going to eliminate options for them," Thompson said. "They're going to go to the four-year school or, if they really changed their mind, maybe they come back here for another year."
Thompson said he had heard from professional baseball contacts some clubs were fighting to keep the draft at 20 rounds.
Moving forward, the status of the draft is uncertain. According to ESPN, MLB has the right to shorten the 2021 draft to 20 rounds, as well.
Thompson said he doesn't know whether they'll return to 40 rounds or keep it shortened.
"In the future, they're anticipating 20 rounds in the Major League Baseball Draft," Rodriguez said. "So, from that standpoint, then we have to start re-evaluating guys who might get drafted in that realm and then adjust accordingly."
If the draft does get permanently shortened as the Minor League Contraction Plan is continually discussed, it could eliminate as many as 1,000 roster spots. That's because baseball has looked to eliminate as many as one-fourth of its minor league teams.
"Kids need to really do some soul-searching and re-evaluating what their occupation might be," Rodriguez said. "Because not everybody is going to get that opportunity, anymore, where you go ahead and sign and you know you're going to be a professional athlete."
MLB owners approved a shortened-season plan Monday, which would allow for an 82-game season that would start around July 4 and provide a historic 50-50 revenue sharing plan with players. That proposal has now gone to the players union.
Also on KCENTV.com: