What is the MLB Draft?
The MLB Draft is an annual event that takes place in June each year, in which all 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams select amateur baseball players. The MLB Draft is the primary means by which teams acquire new players for their organization and it is used to assign players from the amateur level to the professional ranks.
The MLB Draft is divided into 40 rounds, and in each round teams can select any eligible player. In the first round, teams can select any player who is graduating high school or college, as well as anyone who is eligible to play professional baseball in their country.
Teams are awarded a certain number of picks in each round of the draft, and they must use those picks to select players who meet certain criteria. The criteria used in the selection process are based on the player’s age, experience, and skill level.
Who is Eligible to be Drafted?
Anyone who is eligible to play professional baseball in their country is eligible to be drafted in the MLB Draft. Generally, this includes players who are at least 18 years of age, have graduated from high school or college, and have played at least one year of professional baseball.
Players who have not reached these criteria can be eligible to be drafted if they are eligible to play professional baseball in their country.
What is a D3 Player?
A D3 player is a player who has played at the Division 3 level in college. Division 3 is the lowest level of college baseball and is usually considered to be the “minor leagues” of college baseball. Division 3 players typically have less experience than those at the Division 1 or Division 2 level, but they can still be drafted by MLB teams.
Who are the Top D3 Players in the MLB Draft?
The top D3 players in the MLB Draft are typically those who have the most potential and are most likely to make an impact at the professional level. These players often have the best combination of size, speed, and skill, and they are often the most sought-after by MLB teams.
The following is a list of the top D3 players in the MLB Draft:
- Cody Ponce – Ponce is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted in the second round by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2015 MLB Draft. He was the highest-drafted D3 player in the 2015 draft.
- J.D. Martinez – Martinez is an outfielder who was drafted in the 20th round by the Houston Astros in the 2009 MLB Draft. He is now one of the top players in Major League Baseball.
- Andrew Benintendi – Benintendi is an outfielder who was drafted in the first round by the Boston Red Sox in the 2015 MLB Draft. He is now a regular starter for the Red Sox.
- Jonathon Crawford – Crawford is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted in the first round by the Detroit Tigers in the 2013 MLB Draft. He is now a regular starter for the Tigers.
- Drew VerHagen – VerHagen is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted in the fourth round by the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 MLB Draft. He is now a regular reliever for the Tigers.
- Chris Beck – Beck is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted in the second round by the Chicago White Sox in the 2013 MLB Draft. He is now a regular starter for the White Sox.
- Sean Newcomb – Newcomb is a left-handed pitcher who was drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2014 MLB Draft. He is now a regular starter for the Angels.
- Bradley Zimmer – Zimmer is an outfielder who was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Indians in the 2014 MLB Draft. He is now a regular starter for the Indians.
- Tanner Rainey – Rainey is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted in the second round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2015 MLB Draft. He is now a regular reliever for the Reds.
- Joey Wentz – Wentz is a left-handed pitcher who was drafted in the first round by the Atlanta Braves in the 2016 MLB Draft. He is now a regular starter for the Braves.
What is the Draft Process Like for D3 Players?
The draft process for D3 players is very similar to that of players from other levels of college baseball. D3 players must still meet the same eligibility requirements for the MLB Draft, and teams will still evaluate them based on their size, speed, and skill level.
The main difference between D3 players and players from other levels of college baseball is that D3 players are often less experienced and less scouted than those from the higher levels. This means that teams may be more hesitant to draft a D3 player, as they may be less confident in their ability to make an impact at the professional level.
How Many D3 Players Got Drafted in 2020?
In the 2020 MLB Draft, a total of 15 D3 players were selected. This was down from 19 in 2019, but still up from 8 in 2018.
Round 1
There were no D3 players selected in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft.
Round 2
There were two D3 players selected in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft:
- Max Meyer – Meyer is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the second round.
- Brendon Little – Little is a left-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the second round.
Round 3
There were three D3 players selected in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft:
- Jack Kochanowicz – Kochanowicz is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round.
- Mason Fox – Fox is an outfielder who was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the third round.
- Jake Eder – Eder is a left-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the third round.
Round 4-10
There were an additional 10 D3 players selected between rounds 4-10 of the 2020 MLB Draft:
- Zach McCambley – McCambley is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth round.
- Garrett Crochet – Crochet is a left-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round.
- Bryce Elder – Elder is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the sixth round.
- Michael Busch – Busch is an infielder who was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh round.
- John Doxakis – Doxakis is a left-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Houston Astros in the eighth round.
- Spencer Steer – Steer is an infielder who was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the ninth round.
- Joe Ryan – Ryan is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the ninth round.
- Jared Shuster – Shuster is a left-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the tenth round.
- Dane Acker – Acker is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted by the New York Mets in the tenth round.
- David Hamilton – Hamilton is an infielder who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the tenth round.
Conclusion
The MLB Draft is an annual event that is used to assign players from the amateur level to the professional ranks. D3 players are eligible to be drafted and can make an impact at the professional level if they are selected.
In the 2020 MLB Draft, 15 D3 players were selected, with none being selected in the first round. The top D3 players who were selected included Max Meyer, Brendon Little, Jack Kochanowicz, Mason Fox, and Jake Eder in the second round, and Zach McCambley, Garrett Crochet, Bryce Elder, Michael Busch, John Doxakis, Spencer Steer, Joe Ryan, Jared Shuster, Dane Acker, and David Hamilton in rounds 4-10.