Major League Baseball and USA Baseball announced the Prospect Development Pipeline League on Monday, an expansion of the current Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) program.
The PDP League is a premier development and showcase experience for dozens of high school prospects across the United States ahead of the 2020 MLB Draft. Approximately 80 high school players will participate in the invitation-only event, which will take place from mid-June to early July at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
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The event will also serve as a primary identification opportunity for the USA Baseball 18U National Team, which will compete in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup in Busan, South Korea. The best players from the event will be selected to participate in a new All-Star Week showcase game, modeled after the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game.
"We are thrilled to join USA Baseball in announcing the PDP League, which is the newest initiative in our ongoing commitment to improving the amateur levels of our game and connecting the next generation of stars to Major League Baseball," said Morgan Sword, MLB's senior vice president of league economics and operations.
"The PDP League will provide these players, the majority of whom will be in consideration for the following year's Rule 4 amateur Draft, with the most dynamic, development-focused experience available to high school baseball athletes. Uniquely, the PDP League will also offer players the opportunity to prepare for life beyond baseball by prioritizing leadership and character development as well as personal health and well-being."
Each of the 80 players will be placed on one of four teams, and the event will consist of competitive game play, practice and training sessions with MLB club representatives serving as on-field coaches, as well as evaluation using modern technologies to tailor an individualized development curriculum for each player.
In addition to the on-field opportunities, the PDP League will focus on personal development, with a variety of educational seminars applicable to the participants' potential collegiate and professional baseball careers. This will include leadership sessions, diversity and inclusion training, proper use and importance of social media, nutritional tips and more.
The PDP program has helped many high school players go on to professional baseball careers. Between the 2017 and '18 Drafts, 212 players who participated in '17-18 PDP events were selected.