MLB to host showcase for Draft-eligible Puerto Rican players
By Jeff Adcox
Major League Baseball will host a three-day showcase for Draft-eligible Puerto Rican players at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan from Friday, Jan. 24th through Sunday, Jan. 26th. The pre-Draft showcase marks the first of its kind in Puerto Rico.
The showcase in San Juan will consist of four teams made up of Puerto Rican players from different regions across Puerto Rico. The event will begin late in the afternoon on Jan. 24th with a pro-style workout, followed by doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.
Major League Baseball has previously hosted post-Draft showcases in Puerto Rico in 2012 and 2013 in which undrafted amateur players were given the chance to play for Major League scouts, resulting in the signings of several players. This year’s showcase is the first time that Major League Baseball will give scouts an opportunity to observe the area’s top amateur talent prior to Baseball’s annual First-Year Player Draft in June.
According to Wikipedia, Puerto Rico has the second-most active players in the Major Leagues among the Latin American region behind the Dominican Republic.
More information, including a roster of participating players, will be available in the coming days.