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Major League Baseball has sent out a memo to all of its teams, warning them that teams should not discourage players from entering the MLB draft.
MLB teams, in search of a competitive edge, have reportedly been telling players not to participate in high school baseball. The stated goal is for players to instead establish international residency and therefore bypass the MLB draft process.
The memo, which ESPN was first to report on, warns teams of potential ramifications if the practice continues.
The whole idea is that teams, by encouraging players to forego high school baseball and establish international residency, then have freedom of choice and movement. Rather than be subject to the draft procedure, players can sign directly with a team.
The MLB memo spelled out that this practice is not allowed:
“It has come to our attention that Clubs have been encouraging amateur players in the United States to withdraw from, or otherwise refrain from playing, high school baseball in the United States and/or Canada, in order to try to establish residency in a foreign country, in an effort to make themselves eligible to sign under the International Amateur Talent System instead of the Rule 4 Draft.”
The penalty for violation could include a loss of draft picks or international pool money.