2021 MLB Draft Will Be 20 Rounds

By J.J. Cooper
on April 1, 2021

Major League Baseball has informed its teams that the 2021 MLB Draft will be 20 rounds.

That was expected news, as MLB negotiated with the Major League Baseball Players Association last year an agreement that this year’s draft could be cut to as few as 20 rounds. The 2020 MLB Draft was the shortest in history, as it was limited to five rounds.

While this year’s draft could have been expanded beyond 20 rounds, teams have been operating under the assumption that it would be limited to the minimum number that had been agreed to in the MLB-MLBPA negotiations.

The 2021 MLB Draft will take place from July 11-13 as part of MLB’s All-Star Game festivities. This will be the latest the draft has been held, as before this year it’s taken place in June. The move back to July ensures that it will take place after the College World Series and allows MLB to run leagues and combines in advance of the draft.