Scenes From International Draft Protest In Dominican Republic

With players planning to skip Major League Baseball’s Dominican national showcase today in protest of an international draft, MLB last night cancelled the event, despite efforts to persuade prospects to attend and bring in players not on the original roster as replacements.

While there was no showcase today, several trainers who develop and represent Dominican amateur players showed up to the San Cristobal stadium where the event would have been as a protest against an international draft. Some of those trainers held signs with a message saying “No al draft.”

Though the protest means scouts were unable to see players they were expecting to watch today and tomorrow at the showcase, most of the players on the roster are with prominent Dominican trainers, many of whom have their players participate in the International Prospect League, JDB Baseball and the Dominican Prospect League, so those players have plenty of platforms for exposure to scouts.