If Jackson Holliday or James Wood earns a spot on an opening-day roster, they might owe thanks to a provision in baseball’s collective bargaining agreement.
As part of the agreement that concluded the 2022 lockout, teams and players consented to introduce prospect promotion incentive picks into the annual amateur draft. Players like Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez in 2022 Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and Arizona’s Corbin Carroll last year each earned their team an additional selection.
“It gives the teams more of a chance, I suppose, to promote their guys to the big leagues and vie for the Rookie of the Year,” Holliday said during a Zoom news conference leading up to this weekend’s Spring Breakout. “It’s a neat concept. Clearly, organizations must have plenty of draft picks.”
Holliday, a 20-year-old middle infielder, is contending for a spot on the Orioles’ roster, boasting a .323 batting average (10 for 31) with one homer and five RBIs in spring training games. Jackson, the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, was the top pick in the 2022 amateur draft.
Wood, a 21-year-old outfielder, has a .355 batting average with three homers and five RBIs in 14 spring training games with the Washington Nationals. Originally selected by San Diego with the 62nd pick in 2021, Wood was traded to the Nats as part of the August 2022 deal that sent Juan Soto to the Padres. “Teams highly value those comp picks,” Wood said. “It’s a neat little addition that they made.”
A player is eligible to earn his team an extra pick if he begins the season with less than 60 days of major league service; appears on at least two top 100 prospect lists from Baseball America, ESPN.com, and MLB.com; and then accrues a full year of major league service, defined as 172 days or more.
Foreign professionals are ineligible for eligibility along with anyone who signs a multiyear contract before his big league debut and players who have been on the restricted list, voluntarily retired list, ineligible list, or disqualified list for one calendar year or longer.
An eligible player secures his club a pick following the first round if he wins Rookie of the Year or finishes among the top three in Cy Young or MVP voting.
Rodríguez hit .284 with 28 homers, 75 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases two years ago, earning the Mariners the 29th pick last year. Seattle selected Jonny Farmelo, a 19-year-old outfielder also set for the Spring Breakout featuring top prospects.
Carroll batted .285 with 25 homers, 10 triples, 76 RBIs, and 54 stolen bases as Arizona reached its first World Series since 2001, earning the Diamondbacks what is expected to be the 31st pick this summer. Henderson hit .255 with 28 homers, 82 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases last season, securing Baltimore the 32nd pick.
There will be 16 games from Thursday through Sunday in the Spring Breakout, with most games being seven innings as part of doubleheaders with Cactus League or Grapefruit League games. Rosters include players who have rookie eligibility — fewer than 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched, or 45 days on an active major league roster.
Paul Skenes, a 21-year-old Pittsburgh right-hander, is also in the Spring Breakout. Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said last week that Skenes will not be on the opening day roster.
