Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:01 pm
Interesting question, first time I've seen this situation come up. Here are the prospect segments of the league rules:
PROSPECT DRAFT
1) After the initial draft and after each year's annual free agent draft, there will be a four round prospect draft.
2) Each team will be able to select 4 prospects, defined as any player who: [b:e654b061ff]a) did not play in an MLB game during the season for which the draft is being conducted;[/b:e654b061ff] and b) is the property of an MLB team. In other words,
...no, those who have not yet signed as of the start of that year's draft are not eligible for the prospect draft; and
...yes, those injured players who sit out the entire season are eligible for the prospect draft, as long as they are not already on a roster in this league.
3) The initial prospect draft is serpentine. Draft order for the initial prospect draft will be the reverse of the draft order for the initial free agent draft. All subsequent prospect drafts are non-serpentine, with draft order based on the final win/loss records of the previous season: Reverse order, worst-record first, NFL style.
4) Owners lose rights to all prospects they release. Released prospects are eligible to be drafted as either a) free agents or b) prospects again, [b:e654b061ff]depending on whether or not they played in an MLB game during the season for which the draft is being conducted.[/b:e654b061ff]
5) There is no clock for round 1 of each prospect draft. All subsequent rounds will operate with a 2-hour clock, as in the initial draft.
6) Individual owners are responsible for their own prospect research.
PROSPECT RULES
1) The maximum number of prospects allowed for each team is 10.
2) Prospects are not counted as part of the 40 man roster while they maintain their prospect status.
3) Owners control the rights of their prospects for no longer than 2 years. At the end of 2 years (from time of draft) a prospect must either be promoted to the MLB roster or released.
4) Prospects can be traded, but the 2 year timeline remains constant for each prospect. Prospects moving from one team to another must be promoted or released when the end of the original 2 year cycle has been reached.
5) Prospects can be promoted to the major league roster at any time, provided there is roster space available. Once promoted, all prospects lose their prospect status and cannot be demoted back to prospect status.
