MLB Draft on the Horizon

Major League Baseball has announced its 2012 draft order, and along with that comes some well noted changes. 

With spending spiralling out of control at recent drafts, and signing bonuses going through the roof, it became evident that changes needed to be made to the system. 

Teams that were picking in the top five or ten who had very little cash to spare were eliminated a lot of the time when it came to signing their pick.

Unable to sign their guy, that prospect went undrafted or held out for more money at the suggestion of his agent. Compensation for failure to sign high picks usually meant that you could re-pick in the same slot the next year (plus one). 

This year, MLB has put a halt to spending and wants to try and level the playing field by introducing “Signing Bonus Pools.”

According to MLB.com, “the earlier a team picks, the larger the pool...the range of the Signing Bonus Pool for draft picks is from $4.5 million to $11.5 million. The size of the pools will standardize more from club to club after next year's class of free agents.

"The size of the pools will depend on the number of picks a club has in a given year and where those picks fall each round. The club picking No. 1 overall—in 2012, that's the Astros—will have the largest pool to draw from.” 

Additional penalties are now involved if teams go over their slot bonus, such as forfeiting draft picks the next year, depending on how far above the pool a team goes. The Astros are slotted with the first pick, so they might not have any issues when it comes inking their “superstar.”

And instead of the usual 50 rounds, this year's draft will consist of 40 rounds. Each team will have the ability to pass on their selection without having to forfeit their participation in the following rounds. 

What makes this year's draft special is the multiple first-round picks held by four teams. 

The Toronto Blue Jays will pick 17th and 22nd, followed by the St. Louis Cardinals at 19 and 23. Boston, who looks like they will need to replenish their minor league system after their disastrous start, picks at 24 and 31 and Milwaukee rounds it out with the 27th and 28th picks. 

In typical Oakland Athletic style, teams (St. Louis and Toronto) that already have what looks like an unlimited supply of minor league talent, have five of the first 60 picks. 

The draft takes place June 4th through June 6th, and can be seen on the MLB Network and MLB.com beginning at 7 p.m ET. 

For what it’s worth, you really should watch the first round at least. This year, each team will be represented by one its former players or a member of the front office. It doesn’t get the hype of, and isn't as flashy as, its NFL or NBA counterparts, but it’s fascinating and I highly recommend tuning in.   

Courtesy of MLB.com, you can view the complete draft order here.

Devon is the Founder and Executive Director of The GM's Perspective. He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Currently, Devon is a Manager at a financial institution in Northern Ontario Canada, and can be reached at [e-mail]. You can follow The GM's Perspective on Twitter and Facebook. His full bio can be seen here.

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