June 21st, 2021

MLB Network to air exclusive on-site coverage Friday

Major League Baseball and USA Baseball today announced the list of 167 players scheduled to take part in the MLB Draft Combine presented by Gatorade, taking place this week at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. and the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, N.C. The Combine will feature the Draft prospects, including 76 collegiate players and 91 high school athletes, as well as a decorated group of former Major League players and coaches, and various general managers, scouting directors and other Club personnel. Please see below for a full list of players scheduled to attend the 2021 Draft Combine.

In addition to the Draft prospects, others scheduled to attend include five-time All-Star and 1995 World Series Champion Fred McGriff; two-time All-Star and 2003 World Series Champion Brad Penny; former All-Stars Billy Butler, Royce Clayton and Rickie Weeks; 1986 World Series Champion Roger McDowell; 2013 World Series Champion Jarrod Saltalamacchia; two-time World Series Champion and MLB’s Senior Director of On-Field Operations Gregor Blanco; former Major Leaguers Michael Barrett, Erik Kratz, Ray Searage and Rajai Davis, who is also MLB’s Senior Director of On-Field Operations; former Major League managers Jeff Banister and Bo Porter, who serves as a consultant on coaching development for MLB; longtime baseball executive Omar Minaya; former All-Star and MLB’s Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations Raul Ibañez; and MLB’s Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations Michael Hill.

The Combine will provide an opportunity for players to participate in a series of medical and performance assessments as well as educational programming designed to prepare them for a career in professional baseball. On Thursday and Friday, all players will have the opportunity to participate in a pro-style showcase workout, as well as strength and conditioning and PDP performance assessments. Additionally, as part of the Combine experience, the high school players will participate in a unique showcase tournament.

In addition, additional components of the Combine will include Draft prospects meeting with front office personnel and scouts of individual Clubs, undergoing medical testing and receiving player education.

MLB Network will cover the MLB Draft Combine throughout the week of June 21, including five consecutive hours of exclusive coverage live from Cary, North Carolina on Friday, June 25 beginning at 1 p.m. (ET). MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds, Bill Ripken and Dan O’Dowd, as well as MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Sarah Langs, will provide analysis and breakdowns throughout the afternoon on June 25 as the players undergo their pro-style showcase workout. Interviews with players and Club personnel will be featured as part of the coverage.

Participants at the MLB Draft Combine will have opportunities to be featured on MLB social media channels, in addition to receiving personal branding training and access to real-time content and custom video for their own platforms.

The 2021 MLB Draft is planned for July 11-13 during All-Star Week in Colorado, and for the first time since the inception of the Draft in 1965, the event is scheduled outside the month of June. The Draft will feature 20 rounds across the three days, beginning with the opening night of the Draft on Sunday, July 11, at the Bellco Theatre in Denver, following the 2021 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, part of All-Star Sunday at Coors Field. Since 2009, the first night of the Draft has been held live at MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.