When Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll won their league’s 2023 Rookie of the Year awards, they didn’t just pick up some hardware for themselves. They also earned the Orioles and D-backs an extra compensation pick apiece in the 2024 Draft, courtesy of the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI).
Ratified into the latest collective bargaining agreement, the PPI rewards teams for promoting their best prospects to the big leagues at the start of the season, enabling them to earn a Draft pick if said rookies accrue one full year of service time and then factor into a major postseason award.
Henderson and Carroll aren’t the only examples of the new program working advantageously for both teams and prospects. The Mariners picked up the 29th overall pick in the 2023 Draft via the PPI after Seattle promoted Julio Rodríguez from Double-A to its Opening Day roster in 2022 and then watched Rodríguez win American League Rookie of the Year honors.
There are other ways PPI-eligible players can earn their teams Draft picks, and at the same time, not only rookies and not every rookie is PPI-eligible. It’s all pretty complicated, so we have this FAQ to answer PPI-related questions.
How do clubs earn PPI picks?
In short, an MLB club can earn a Draft pick after the first round if a PPI-eligible player accrues one year of service as a rookie and then factors into a major award. That means he either has to win his league’s Rookie of the Year award or place in the top three in MVP or Cy Young voting prior to qualifying for arbitration.
But there are a few ways that can happen. One year of service requires 172 days on an active roster, which means …
- Players with little or no MLB service time need to break camp with the team or be called up within two weeks of Opening Day. Then they must spend all or most of the year in the big leagues. Then they must either win their league’s Rookie of the Year award, or place in the top three for MVP or Cy Young.
- Players who made an Opening Day roster and accrued the service time but didn’t factor in any awards that year retain PPI eligibility. They need to place in the top three for MVP or Cy Young before hitting arbitration. That typically allows for a three-year window.
So far no one has achieved this, but several players from the rookie classes of 2022 and '23 have retained their PPI eligibility for 2024.
Where are these picks?
The exact order of the 2024 Draft won’t be set until all of the free agents who received qualifying offers have signed, but all PPI picks are granted immediately after the first round. As of right now, the D-backs have the 31st overall pick and the Orioles have the 32nd overall pick -- in addition to their first-round picks -- in this year's Draft.
Those picks were courtesy of Carroll and Henderson’s success in 2023. If any team earns a PPI pick in 2024, it would be for the 2025 Draft.
Are there limits?
Yes. There is a limit of one PPI pick per organization per year, and players can earn only one PPI pick for their clubs. So Carroll and Henderson no longer qualify.
How does one become PPI-eligible?
Eligibility is based on the preseason rankings. Eligible prospects have to appear on at least two of the three Top 100 Prospect rankings released by MLB Pipeline, Baseball America and ESPN. Those players must be rookie-eligible and have fewer than 60 days of prior MLB service, which is also the stipulation MLB Pipeline makes in crafting its Top 100 rankings. MLB Pipeline unveiled its new Top 100 in late January. Baseball America and ESPN have also released theirs to fill out the field from which PPI eligibility will be granted.
Can a player lose eligibility?
Yes. PPI eligibility only extends to the clubs for which prospects make their MLB debuts. If a prospect is traded after making his debut, his PPI eligibility is nullified for his new club, even if he still has rookie status.
For example, No. 63 overall prospect Joey Ortiz debuted last year with the Orioles but still had his rookie eligibility for 2024. However, he was recently traded to the Brewers in the Corbin Burnes deal, so despite landing on at least two of three preseason Top 100 lists, Ortiz won't net Milwaukee an additional pick no matter what he accomplishes in 2024.
On the flip side, prospects traded before their MLB debuts retain PPI-eligibility with their new clubs.
OK, so, who is eligible this year?
Ninety players on MLB Pipeline’s new Top 100 and six non-ranked players are eligible in 2024, as well as eight from the rookie class of 2022 and nine from the rookie class of 2023. So there's currently a pool of over 100 PPI-eligible rookies for 2024, though the final number could fluctuate by Opening Day.
The full list of players is below.
PPI-eligible players:
2023 Rookie class
Francisco Alvarez, C, Mets
Hunter Brown, RHP, Astros
Triston Casas, 1B, Red Sox
Cade Cavalli, RHP, Nationals
Josh Jung, 3B, Rangers
Logan O’Hoppe, C, Angels
Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Rockies
Anthony Volpe, SS, Yankees
Ken Waldichuk, LHP, Athletics
2022 Rookie class
Shane Baz, RHP, Rays
Hunter Greene, RHP, Reds
Nick Lodolo, LHP, Reds
Jeremy Peña, SS, Astros
Geraldo Perdomo, SS, D-backs
Joe Ryan, RHP, Twins
Bryson Stott, SS, Phillies
Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals
PPI-eligible prospects:
Angels
Nolan Schanuel, 1B, No. 95 (ETA: 2024)
Astros
Jacob Melton, OF, NR (ETA: 2025)
Athletics
Jacob Wilson, SS, No. 68 (ETA: 2025)
Luis Morales, RHP, NR (ETA: 2025)
Blue Jays
Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, No. 29 (ETA: 2024)
Orelvis Martinez, INF, No. 89 (ETA: 2024)
Braves
AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP, No. 69 (ETA: 2024)
Hurston Waldrep, RHP, No. 90 (ETA: 2024)
Brewers
Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, No. 33 (ETA: 2025)
Jeferson Quero, C, No. 35 (ETA: 2024)
Tyler Black, 3B/1B, No. 46 (ETA: 2024)
Cardinals
Masyn Winn, SS, No. 43 (ETA: 2024)
Tink Hence, RHP, No. 64 (ETA: 2024)
Tekoah Roby, RHP, No. 99 (ETA: 2024)
Cubs
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, No. 16 (ETA: 2024)
Cade Horton, RHP, No. 26 (ETA: 2024)
Owen Cassie, OF, No. 47 (ETA: 2025)
Matt Shaw, SS/2B, No. 54 (ETA: 2025)
D-backs
Jordan Lawlar, SS, No. 11 (ETA: 2024)
Tommy Troy, SS, No. 74 (ETA: 2025)
Druw Jones, OF, No. 78 (ETA: 2026)
Dodgers
Nick Frasso, RHP, No. 80 (ETA: 2025)
Andy Pages, OF, NR (ETA: 2024)
Dalton Rushing, C/1B, No. 75 (ETA: 2025)
Giants
Kyle Harrison, LHP, No. 23 (ETA: 2024)
Marco Luciano, SS, No. 39 (ETA: 2024)
Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, No. 83 (ETA: 2024)
Bryce Eldridge, OF/RHP, No. 96 (ETA: 2026)
Guardians
Chase DeLauter, OF, No. 31 (ETA: 2025)
Kyle Manzardo, 1B, No. 59 (ETA: 2024)
Brayan Rocchio, SS/2B, No. 91 (ETA: 2024)
Daniel Espino, RHP, No. 100 (ETA: 2025)
Mariners
Cole Young, SS/2B, No. 37 (ETA: 2025)
Harry Ford, C, No. 38 (ETA: 2025)
Colt Emerson, SS/2B, No. 87 (ETA: 2026)
Marlins
Noble Meyer, RHP, No. 57 (ETA: 2026)
Mets
Ronny Mauricio, 2B/SS/OF, NR (ETA: 2025)
Jett Williams, SS/OF, No. 45 (ETA: 2025)
Drew Gilbert, OF, No. 53 (ETA: 2024)
Luisangel Acuña, 2B/SS, No. 66 (ETA: 2024)
Ryan Clifford, OF/1B, No. 97 (ETA: 2026)
Nationals
Dylan Crews, OF, No. 7 (ETA: 2024)
James Wood, OF, No. 14 (ETA: 2024)
Brady House, 3B, No. 48 (ETA: 2025)
Orioles
Jackson Holliday, SS/2B, No. 1 (ETA: 2024)
Samuel Basallo, C/1B, No. 17 (ETA: 2025)
Colton Cowser, OF, No. 19 (ETA: 2024)
Coby Mayo, 3B/1B, No. 30 (ETA: 2024)
Heston Kjerstad, OF, No. 32 (ETA: 2024)
Padres
Ethan Salas, C, No. 8 (ETA: 2025)
Jackson Merrill, SS, No. 12 (ETA: 2024)
Robby Snelling, LHP, No. 36 (ETA: 2025)
Dylan Lesko, RHP, No. 56 (ETA: 2026
Drew Thorpe, RHP, No. 85 (ETA: 2024)
Leodalis De Vries, SS, NR (ETA: 2027)
Phillies
Andrew Painter, RHP, No. 27 (ETA: 2025)
Mick Abel, RHP, No, 49 (ETA: 2024)
Justin Crawford, OF, No. 77 (ETA: 2026)
Pirates
Paul Skenes, RHP, No. 3 (ETA: 2024)
Termarr Johnson, 2B, No. 44 (ETA: 2025)
Jared Jones, RHP, No. 62 (ETA: 2024)
Bubba Chandler, RHP, No. 93 (ETA: 2025)
Rays
Junior Caminero, 3B/SS, No. 4 (ETA: 2024)
Carson Williams, SS, No. 20 (ETA: 2025)
Curtis Mead, 3B/2B, No. 55 (ETA: 2024)
Xavier Isaac, 1B, No. 58 (ETA: 2026)
Rangers
Evan Carter, OF, No. 5 (ETA: 2024)
Wyatt Langford, OF, No. 6 (ETA: 2024)
Sebastian Walcott, SS, No. 71 (ETA: 2027)
Reds
Noelvi Marte, 3B/SS, No. 21 (ETA: 2024)
Rhett Lowder, RHP, No. 34 (ETA: 2024)
Edwin Arroyo, SS, No. 67 (ETA: 2025)
Connor Phillips, RHP, No. 70 (ETA: 2024)
Chase Petty, RHP, No. 98 (ETA: 2025)
Red Sox
Marcelo Mayer, SS, No. 15 (ETA: 2024)
Roman Anthony, OF, No. 24 (ETA: 2025)
Kyle Teel, C, No. 40 (ETA: 2025)
Ceddanne Rafaela, OF/SS, No. 76 (ETA: 2024)
Rockies
Adael Amador, SS/2B, No. 28 (ETA: 2025)
Chase Dollander, RHP, No. 52 (ETA: 2026)
Yanquiel Fernandez, OF, No. 72 (ETA: 2025)
Tigers
Max Clark, OF, No. 13 (ETA: 2026)
Jackson Jobe, RHP, No. 25 (ETA: 2025)
Jace Jung, 2B/3B, No. 60 (ETA: 2024)
Twins
Walker Jenkins, OF, No. 10 (ETA: 2026)
Brooks Lee, SS, No. 18 (ETA: 2024)
Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, No. 42 (ETA: 2025)
White Sox
Colson Montgomery, SS, No. 9 (ETA: 2024)
Noah Schultz, LHP, No. 50 (ETA: 2026)
Yankees
Jasson Domínguez, OF, No. 41 (ETA: 2024)
Spencer Jones, OF, No. 84 (ETA: 2025)
Roderick Arias, SS, No. 86 (ETA: 2027)
Chase Hampton, RHP, No. 92 (ETA: 2024)
Austin Wells, C, NR (ETA: 2024)
Joe Trezza is a senior content producer for MLB.com.