It isn't the NFL draft. It isn't even the NBA draft.

These guys are all years away from MLB and a decent percentage will never even make the show. Even sophisticated baseball fans have not heard of or seen most of these players.

taking a quick look at attendees, it sure looks like those people are paid to be there and the "excitement" was obviously induced by the league

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

ESPN pimped it hard during their national baseball broadcasts. I don't watch any of their actual programming, but I'm sure they pimped it there too.

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"Yes, I would just like to say I'm sailing with the rock, and I'll be back, like Independence Day, with Jesus. June 6, like the movie. Big mother ship and all, I'll be back, I'll be back."

they have it over MLB Network ?

Both are carrying it. I don't have either, so I don't know if it's a simulcast or competing products.

It is much closer to a NCAA National Signing Day than it is to the NFL Draft. It would also help if MLB hadn't gotten rid of the rookie leagues, because with the July draft date most of these players are not going to get more than a few appearances in their Arizona/Florida complex leagues with five dozen other random minor leaguers.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

The problem is they need to have it during the season because the high school kids can't just sit around for six months waiting for the draft to happen after the season ends. That's what makes it all fucked up and incongruent with the MLB/minor league season.

They could do a voluntary showcase league for high schoolers that runs July-November, but that's a massive undertaking (and expense) all for the sake of moving their lame draft into the off-season. MLB is one truly delusional idiotically run organization but even in their self-congratulating stupor they are probably sober enough to realize that they have no prayer of matching the NFL or even the NBA's draft hoopla. That won't stop them from trying though. Its an opportunity to get viewers from the entire league-wide fanbase without having to pay anyone a game check. That former point is especially valuable since baseball fans aren't actually fans of baseball, they are fans of their own franchise. A fact MLB must be aware of but still seems to ignore with every decision they make.

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"Yes, I would just like to say I'm sailing with the rock, and I'll be back, like Independence Day, with Jesus. June 6, like the movie. Big mother ship and all, I'll be back, I'll be back."

Still probably got better ratings than the NBA.

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