DRAFT DECISIONS
A look at how changes to the MLB Draft affects players at the high school and college level locally
Shortened MLB Draft leaves many with tough choices
Dominic Johnson's draft stock was supposed to take a big leap this spring.
The speedy outfielder felt better than ever in four games with Edmond Santa Fe High School. He wasn't swinging and missing — a hangup of big-league scouts — and he was flying around the base paths.
Scouts had labeled him a “bubble guy,” meaning they wanted to see more this spring, but he was still likely to be a lock for June's Major League Baseball Draft. He'd even heard teams had interest in drafting him in the first five rounds.
“From last year to this year, I was miles ahead,” Johnson said. “I was really happy with myself as a player.”
Then the coronavirus pandemic flipped the sports world on its head.
Last week, the MLB Draft was reduced from 40 rounds to just five, according to reports. Johnson is now unsure of his baseball future. He's signed with Oklahoma State but recently heard from as many as 17 MLB teams in one day following a period of silence.
“I don't know what's going to happen,” Johnson said. “It's something out of a dream. I never thought my name would be in consideration for the draft anyways.”
With just 160 players being selected in June and free agents limited to a maximum signing bonus of $20,000, “bubble guys” like Johnson will feel the impact the most. An early start to their dream could be put on hold.
The start for college seniors and juniors around the state could also be delayed. There is more incentive to remain in college. With only 11.7 Division I scholarships, high school prospects could even decide to head to junior colleges instead before re-entering the draft next year.
“College baseball is going to get better ,” Oklahoma coach Skip Johnson said .“Junior college baseball is going to get better.
“The development side of it is in college and has been for years.”
The Sooner coach said he expects to lose a handful of players t his offseason. Star pitcher Cade Cavalli is projected asa nearly first-round selection. Lefty Levi Prater could be selected, too. High school signees
Ed Howard, Cade Horton and Jace Bohrofen could also be drafted and sign.
At OSU, coach Josh Holliday is open to all of his players returning. He said he has yet to have conversations with every player. He also knows he could lose some players.
“It' s OK ,” Holli day said. “There'll be a place for kids to continue. Somebody will be excited to have them, and we'll just keep going. That's the way the game goes and that's the way this particular year is going to force everybody involved to handle the changes.”
Dominic Johnson has already changed his thought process.
He believed in the fall it was unlikely he would ever step foot inside OSU's new O'Brate Stadium as a player. But four games into his senior season, CO VID-19' s outbreak canceled his season and extra exposure to scouts.
“I was almost dead-set on signing professionally,”
Johnson said .“It old myself I was going to have a good season. If I did, I was obviously going to be the earlier half of the second or third round, so the money would be more than I'm even asking for. It's a no-brainer at that point.”
But now should he not be selected, he'd be content going to OSU for three years, majoring in finance with a minor in marketing, while taking another shot at the draft when the bonus slots are possibly more profitable.
“I committed early for a reason,” said Johnson, who committed as a freshman at Bishop McGuinness. “That's the place I want to be.
“However, my ultimate goal at the end of the day is to be a professional athlete and to build my brand and hopefully make enough money to support a family by doing that. If that opportunity presents itself early in my life, I'm going to take it early.”