The Major League Baseball amateur draft is next month, and who the Pirates will pick first overall is still unknown.
Unlike last year, where Spencer Torkelson last draft, or next year, where Elijah Green is the best high school position player prospect since Bryce Harper, there isn’t a clear No. 1 in this draft. Frankly, the difference between the first and fifth prospect isn’t that noticeable, at least at this stage of their development. Assuming those five players are the first ones off the board, the Orioles are going to get about the same level of quality of a prospect as the Rangers, who will get someone about the same as the Pirates.
Of course, the Pirates get the advantage of getting their pick. But what if they could trade that certainty for more picks?
Unlike other sports’ drafts, the only MLB draft picks that can be dealt are compensatory selections at the end of the first and second rounds. If there is a hot shot prospect you really like but is a top 5 pick but you’re at 15, you just won’t get him. Even if he somehow fell to that pick, his potential signing bonus would probably be out of the bonus pool range. Think Mark Appel and the Pirates in 2012.
Draft picks (and their respective money for the bonus pool) should be tradable. If international bonus pool money can be traded, why not picks? Set a potential ceiling ($20 million?) for teams to spend through the draft if necessary, but if a team wants to build that way (or supplement the MLB team without giving up prospects), why shouldn’t they?
This will reportedly be discussed to be potentially added to the next collective bargaining agreement. If the league wants to make the draft an event more like the NFL’s, approve the trades.
YOUR TURN: Should teams be allowed to trade draft picks?
