In addition to Major League Baseball shortening the 2020 Draft to just five rounds, teams are being given the opportunity to sign as many undrafted players as they would please. Each may receive up to $20,000, with the process beginning Sunday morning at 6 a.m. PT.
“We’re going to try and turn over every stone,” Dodgers vice president of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino said after the 2020 MLB Draft was completed. Gasparino added he is uncertain of how receptive undrafted players will be to signing with clubs as opposed to returning to school.
There presumably will be some interest, as MLB will first screen those who applied for the Draft. “The way Major League Baseball is attempting to have the process is they’re sending an email to every person they have in the Draft, and the player can reply to opt out,” Gasparino explained.
“If they opt out, then we cannot contact them. If they don’t opt out, then we’re going to make a list of guys we would prefer and order them and then attack them. It will probably be an organizational-wide exercise.”
The focal point of the Dodgers’ efforts will be college juniors. “We have a couple seniors that we’ve identified as guys we want to go after, but we feel good about the players we have in our system,” Gasparino said.
“So there is a line of talent that it’s going to have achieve for us to make a signing. We’re just not going to go randomly sign guys. There’s no real need.”
The process presumably will resemble that of recruiting, which may lead to the Dodgers involving part-owner Magic Johnson and manager Dave Roberts, among others. “I haven’t seen the final version of the recruiting video but we’re going to pull out all the stops,” Gasparino gushed.
“Maybe Magic Johnson will call a few people. Dave Roberts. We’re going to try to do our best here with whatever you can think of that’s legal in the recruiting world.”
Of course, the Dodgers won’t solely rely on the celebrity draw of the organization. The franchise regularly boasts one of the top farm systems in all of baseball, and their player development department has been lauded for its accomplishments.
“I do think our track record of development and success with later-round picks is really going to help us when we go to sell our organization,” Gasparino said.
“Because it really is a recruiting process at this point. I would take our chances against any other team in executing and really trying to sell these guys on who we are and what we’ve done. I’m excited to be able to do that.
“I just don’t have a real good grasp on the reality of how enticing $20,000 is. It won’t be for everyone. It might not be for many.”
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