Major League Baseball (MLB) proposed a draft overhaul on June 18, 2026, that would prohibit high school players from signing with major league teams. The proposal includes raising the domestic and international eligibility age, shortening the draft to 12 rounds, and implementing a 12-round international draft.

Under the proposed changes, draftees starting in 2028 must be at least 20 years old by September 1 of their signing year and be two years removed from their high school graduating class. The proposal would also eliminate eligibility for players who have completed only their first year of junior college. The MLB draft would be shortened to 12 rounds starting in 2027; MLB previously shortened the draft to 20 rounds in 2021.

The proposal also aims to raise the minimum age for international amateur players from 16 to 18. Additionally, a 12-round international draft would be implemented for players from outside the United States and Canada.

University of Mississippi baseball coach Mike Bianco expressed support for college attendance. "Even if they had been potential first-round draft picks, I would have made them go to college," Bianco said. "At the major college level, you’re playing the best amateur baseball in the world. You’ve got a support system that’s different than the minor leagues and you’re getting educated in lots of different ways." Bianco has coached at the University of Mississippi for 26 years; the university won the NCAA baseball national championship in 2022. NCAA baseball programs can now offer 34 scholarships, an increase from a previous cap of 11.7.

High school coaches voiced concerns. "Initially, I thought, who is this really benefiting?" said Craig Faulkner, head baseball coach at Venice High School. "A player from another country could go early and get a head start and stuff, so that would be a concern," Faulkner said. "The good part would be having players going to college and getting a little jump on that, but not every player is a college-type kid." Mike Mercurio, head baseball coach at Cardinal Mooney High School, stated, "It doesn’t give the high school kids the chance to make a splash." Mercurio added that "You’re talking about almost forcing a person to do something that he may not want to do or the option is not even there." He also questioned the future role of scouts, stating, "Because now you’re talking about, if that comes into play, what are you going to do with the major league scouts that are assigned to high schools and everything else?"

The MLB draft combine took place at Chase Field in Phoenix from June 23 to June 26, 2026. At the combine, Genson Veras hit a 443-foot home run during batting practice on June 24 and recorded an exit velocity of 114 mph. On June 23, Rocco Maniscalco threw a 97 mph ball from shortstop, and Dominic Santarelli recorded an average exit velocity of 110.9 mph with a maximum of 115.1 mph. Ethan Wachsmann threw a fastball at 100 mph and averaged 98.8 mph on his four-seam fastball on June 23.