Some of the most memorable NFL Draft moments each year include when teams unexpectedly trade up to snag their quarterback of the future or, as Cleveland Browns fans know all too well, to pick their next horrific bust.
We can’t say the same for the MLB Draft. In fact, MLB teams cannot trade their picks the way teams do in the NFL, NBA, and NHL drafts. Once a team wins the draft lottery, they get the No. 1 pick and get to keep said pick. The same goes for the No. 2 pick, the No. 3 pick, and so on.
The rules are strange, especially compared to those of other leagues. Why can’t clubs like the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, or even the New York Yankees trade up — or down, for that matter? Maybe the Washington Nationals don’t want to pick at No. 1.
Here’s everything you need to know about the MLB Draft’s rules on trading draft picks — and why things aren’t as complicated as they seem.
Why can’t MLB teams trade draft picks before the deadline?
Major League Baseball often tries to tell fans that the sport is balanced, despite the lack of a salary cap and teams like the Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers regularly spending hundreds of millions more than the Pirates or Tampa Bay Rays.
However, the league is limited in controlling how much teams want — or don’t want — to spend each year. What they can control is the draft, and that’s why teams can’t trade draft picks. According to a 2002 ESPN column, the league feared that teams would “squander” their draft picks and instituted the rule in 1965.
Historical context matters here. The Yankees notably used the then-Kansas City Athletics as a feeder team of sorts throughout the 1950s and early 60s, regularly acquiring their top players without giving up much in return.
“There’s a lot of good ideas we need to kick around,” an anonymous GM told ESPN in 2002.
Top draft prospect Ethan Holliday's swing is too smooth 😮💨
— MLB (@MLB) May 9, 2025
(📽️: @PrepBaseballOK) pic.twitter.com/QCrPITsCfY
“There’s not just one magic bullet,” they added. “Our draft rules are several years old, and a lot of it is antiquated.”
Over 20 years later, the draft rules are mostly the same. However, the league adopted a draft lottery ahead of the 2023 draft and added rules prohibiting large-market teams from having lottery picks in consecutive years. That’s why the White Sox will pick 10th despite a modern-day record 121 losses last season.
Who are the top prospects in the 2025 MLB Draft?
Whether they debut next spring or a few summers from now, you’ll want to get acquainted with the 2025 MLB Draft’s top prospects. Here are some names to know before the draft starts on Sunday, July 13.
- Ethan Holliday, SS/3B, Stillwater (Okla.)
- Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
- Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
- Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (Okla.)
- Ike Irish, OF/C, Auburn
- Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Additionally, some prospects are related to players you already know. Holliday is the son of longtime St. Louis Cardinals star Matt Holliday, and the shortstop’s brother, Jackson, plays for the Baltimore Orioles.
Florida State pitcher Cam Leiter has five relatives, including his father, Kurt, who currently or previously saw MLB action. Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman’s brother, Jayden, is an outfielder projected to go within the first five rounds.
Mark McGwire, Manny Ramírez, and CC Sabathia all also have draft-eligible sons. Who will your favorite team select?