The ins and outs of the MLB Draft may not be apparent to the casual fan. The rules are much different than the more familiar and popular drafts in the NFL and NBA.
One of the most notable is the fact that an MLB team isn’t guaranteed to add some of the players it selected. That is especially true if it’s a high school player who can opt to play in college instead.
The Cleveland Guardians recently learned that their second-round pick, pitcher Logan Schmidt, has decided to take that route. As the No. 59 overall selection, the sides could not agree to financial terms that would reflect the value assigned to that spot.
But, thanks to another unique rule, the Guardians get to add a valuable draft asset after that contract disagreement, gaining a pick in the 2027 MLB Draft based on Schmidt’s decision.
“With the Guardians not agreeing to a deal with 2026 second-round draft pick Logan Schmidt, they will receive the No. 60 pick in the 2027 MLB Draft,” Cade Cracas posted.
With the #Guardians not agreeing to a deal with 2026 second-round draft pick Logan Schmidt, they will receive the No. 60 pick in the 2027 MLB Draft.#GuardsBall
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) July 27, 2026
Schmidt reportedly was seeking $3-4 million to sign his first professional contract. The Guardians would not exceed his $1.6 million slot by that amount, so the 18-year-old will honor his commitment to LSU instead.
It may be seen as a huge disappointment, considering Schmidt’s potential as a 6-foot-4 left-hander who is already throwing near 100 mph. But the Guardians can regroup and use the new pick they received to try again with another prospect next year.
On the bright side, the Guardians were able to convince seventh-round pick Savion Sims to forgo his commitment to the University of Oklahoma and join their minor league pipeline. The high school pitcher got a $1 million deal that was far above his slot value.
Cleveland has also been able to reach an agreement with its first-round pick, University of Florida pitcher Liam Peterson. It also has signed outfielders Tre Broussard (third round) and Lucas Moore (fifth round) as part of its impressive draft haul.
The Guardians have had great success in the MLB Draft in recent years, so they might be able to turn this setback with Schmidt into something even better.
NEXT: 2024 All-Star Has Become A Big Liability For The Guardians
