MLB Draft League announces 2022 schedule, expanded format
The MLB Draft League announced the schedule for the 2022 season, the second year of the newly established league in partnership with Major League Baseball and Prep Baseball Report. Building on the success of the league’s inaugural campaign, the 2022 season will feature an expanded format, moving from 68 to 80 games per team, and other changes to enhance the player, fan and scout experience.
The 2022 season will be split into two halves with the first half set to begin Thursday, June 2, and concluding Saturday, July 16. The first half will feature amateur, draft-eligible players and will follow a similar format to last year’s season. Additionally, each Tuesday (other than Opening Days), the League will play seven-inning games. This is being done with regards to the health and safety of the pitchers participating in the Draft League.
Following a midseason break to coincide with the MLB All-Star break, the second half will run from Friday, July 22, and conclude Tuesday, Sept. 6, with the MLB Draft League’s first Championship Game. The second half will feature professional players who have exhausted their amateur eligibility or otherwise wish to begin their professional careers. The MLB Draft League will be the first league in the country with this hybrid amateur-professional format, and the league is in communication with the NCAA to ensure athlete eligibility requirements are met.
“We are excited to announce the 2022 schedule and the expanded format for the MLB Draft League,” said MLB Draft League president Kerrick Jackson. “The inaugural MLB Draft League season enjoyed overwhelming success, both in terms of fan support and on-field success. More than 90 players from the 2021 Draft League were drafted or signed professional contracts, providing fans in each community with the same high-caliber baseball and access to future Major Leaguers that they have enjoyed throughout their teams’ history.
“The league brought together players from all competitive levels — big and small four-year colleges, junior college and high school athletes — ultimately creating a one-of-a-kind scouting and fan experience and giving these players unmatched exposure and development to enhance their careers. The expanded format for 2022 will provide additional opportunities for players to achieve their goal of playing in the Major Leagues, as well as maximizing the enjoyment for our fan base with the additional games and supplement of professional players,” Jackson said.
As part of the 2022 season, all players who participate in the first half of the Draft League will have the opportunity to participate in a pre-Draft pro day for MLB club scouts June 26 and 27. This event will feature on-field and off-field assessments and include state-of-the-art scouting technology. It will be open to fans and provide a unique opportunity for our fans to get an in-depth look at the player evaluation process that MLB Clubs go through. More details, including the location of the event, will be announced this winter.
The MLB Draft League features six founding members (Frederick Keys, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, State College Spikes, Trenton Thunder, West Virginia Black Bears and Williamsport Crosscutters) and provides an unparalleled fan and development experience that features former Major Leaguers and professional players as managers and coaches. To view the 2022 MLB Draft League schedule, visit mlbdraftleague.com; each team’s schedule also is accessible via its website.
For more information on the MLB Draft League, visit MLBDraftLeague.com and follow @mlbdraftleague on Twitter and Instagram. For player-focused analytics updates, follow @draftleaguedata on Twitter.