How a shortened MLB Draft might have biggest impact on South Carolina’s 2021 roster
The NCAA’s decision to give an extra year of eligibility to spring sport athletes might not have as big of an impact as a shortened MLB Draft will on South Carolina’s baseball roster for next season.
Speaking Thursday on 107.5 The Game’s Halftime Show, USC baseball coach Mark Kingston talked about the possible impact the draft will have on his team’s roster. This year’s MLB Draft will be much shorter than in years past because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The result: Fewer college players turning pro combined with a talented incoming recruiting class will mean a crowded roster and increased competition for playing time.
“The draft really will have the biggest impact on our roster moving forward,” Kingston said. “.. At the end of the day, what we all feel is very, very optimistic about the future of our program and of this team. We started to see glimpses of what it can be. We have a top-five recruiting class in the country signed up right now. When all’s said and done, I feel very, very optimistic about our future.”
USC has a total of 19 players on its roster eligible to be drafted this year, made up of four seniors, 11 juniors and three redshirt sophomores. Brett Kerry also is eligible despite being a sophomore because he will be 21 years old before the draft.
There are members of USC’s Class of 2020 who might be drafted, including high school signee Brandon Fields and junior college signee Luke Little.
According to Baseball America, the draft will be cut to as few as five rounds, or possibly 10, based on the deal struck between Major League Baseball and its players union. The draft has been 40 rounds since 2012. It is scheduled for June 10 but might be moved back to July.
If the draft is just five rounds, the likelihood of Gamecock players going pro will be smaller with the exception of redshirt sophomore pitcher Carmen Mlodzinksi, who is projected to be a first-round pick by some mock drafts.
“You can have a one-round draft and anticipate Carmen will move on,” Kingston said. “That’s something we support.”
But the other guys, it isn’t so easy. A shorter draft and less guaranteed money will give players who might have been a lock to turn pro something to think about. If the draft goes five or 10 rounds and a player is not selected, he can only sign for $20,000. In the past players picked after the 10th round could sign for as much as $125,000.
Kingston said he hopes players aren’t in a rush to make a decision, especially being in the middle of a semester. He said the same is true with his coaching staff and the prospect of managing the headaches of a bigger initial roster.
As of now the roster limit still stands at 35 players, with 27 of those receiving scholarship money. There are just 11.7 scholarships divided among those 27 players. USC Athletics Director Ray Tanner told The State on Thursday he hopes there will be some sort of relief for schools in that area.
“There’s no rush to make any major decisions yet knowing the draft is still months and months away with guys having months of academics yet,” Kingston said. “At this point our focus is on making sure guys are doing the right things academically. Our job is to provide guidance and give all the assistance they need. As coaches we talk on a regular basis on all the what-ifs that could happen over the next coming months. At this point, it’s all just what-ifs. We can speculate on the draft, about continuing legislation, but at this point our job is to just continue to nurture our players.”
With more baseball players likely to stay in college, the sport should benefit. There might be more talent on the college baseball level ever before with fewer players moving on to the professional ranks. That’s something Kingston said helps the sport.
“I think you might start to see a golden age of college baseball as we move forward,” he said. “It’s never been promoted better, it’s never been bigger in terms of TV ratings, attendance and commitment by athletic departments.
“As a college baseball coach, I’m all for it. I think it’s the best stage for kids to grow up and develop and prepare for professional baseball but get an education at the same time. I think you’re going to see a lot of great baseball at the college level moving forward.”
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 10:44 AM with the headline "How a shortened MLB Draft might have biggest impact on South Carolina’s 2021 roster."
