How Teams Are Recruiting Undrafted Players During Unprecedented Signing Period

Kale Emshoff woke up June 14 not knowing what to expect.

The Arkansas-Little Rock catcher was one of more than 1,000 players who would have been drafted in a normal year but were passed over in this year’s five-round draft. The March agreement between MLB and the player’s union that shortened the draft in response to the coronavirus pandemic also placed restrictions on nondrafted free agents. Undrafted players could not be contacted until June 14 at 9 a.m. ET, and their signing bonuses would be capped at $20,000.

Emshoff, a redshirt junior, was ready to turn professional even with those restrictions. He just hoped to get a phone call once teams were allowed to contact him.

As soon as the clock hit 9 a.m., his phone began ringing. And ringing. And ringing.

“As soon as 9 o’clock hit I had 15-20 phone calls,” Emshoff said. “Emails, text messages saying ‘Hey give me a call’, Zoom meetings with GMs and scouting directors. It was just crazy.”