30-Year-Old College Baseball Players? New Ruling Could Change Everything

A recent ruling in a college football case could significantly alter the landscape of college baseball and the MLB draft. The ruling, which granted an injunction to Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, allows college athletes to pursue additional years of NCAA eligibility without counting their time at junior colleges. This means a player could potentially have up to four years of eligibility left after two years at a junior college, instead of the current two.This change could lead to players strategically using junior colleges to enhance their skills and draft stock, potentially delaying their entry into professional baseball. Over the past five MLB drafts, only one first-round pick, one second-round pick, and three third-round picks were selected directly from junior colleges. However, with this ruling, the path from junior college to professional baseball could become more common.The ruling might also affect how top college programs recruit, potentially favoring older, more experienced players over high school recruits. This could result in college rosters featuring a mix of typical college-aged draft prospects and older players, creating a dynamic similar to minor league baseball. The implications extend to MLB scouting, where the value of scouts might decrease as analytical models gain prominence due to the availability of detailed performance data.

Source: www.espn.com