Dodgers: When is the 2023 MLB Draft?
In other words, "When will the Dodgers be stealing more elite pitching late in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft?" Happy to help!
This year, the MLB Draft festivities won't be in Los Angeles like they were in 2022. That's because, as of two years ago, the draft now follows the MLB All-Star Game around, with the first round occurring on the Sunday night between the Futures Game on Saturday and the Home Run Derby on Monday.
Good thinking, because the first step towards the draft being a showcase event is exposure. Goodbye, end of June! Hello, early July!
So, when will the Dodgers be picking, and how many times will they be doing so? We've got you covered.
How Many Rounds Are in the MLB Draft? A Brief History
Remember the good old days when the Dodgers were able to steal Mike Piazza in the 62nd round because of his family's relationship with Tommy Lasorda? Since then, the minor leagues have been restricted, and there's no longer a need to flesh out quite so many rosters with quite so many players.
When the 2022 CBA was ratified, that restricted the MLB Draft to 20 rounds. Through 2019, it still lasted 40 rounds; the Pandemic Draft of 2020 was restricted to just five rounds, creating the most stacked UDFA class of all time. Now, we're back to normalcy. 20's fine.
When will the Dodgers pick in 2023 MLB Draft?
Due to exceeding that pesky luxury tax threshold by $40 million plus, the Dodgers won't pick until No. 36 in Competitive Balance Round A.
You'll notice another twist in this year's draft, thanks to the new CBA. The Seattle Mariners pick 22nd overall because of their 2022 record, then select 29th again because Julio Rodriguez was rewarded for winning Rookie of the Year. They also pick 30th! For revenue-sharing purposes. Huge for them.
Hopefully, the Dodgers are able to spin that 36th pick into gold, as their next pick comes at 60th. Luckily, they didn't also sacrifice a second-round pick to sign a qualified free agent.