BASEBALL DRAFT TO BE TELEVISED ON MLB NETWORK

Next month’s annual First-Year Player Draft will be broadcast live on the MLB Network, according to Major League Baseball. The draft begins at 6PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, June 9, and the first day will be held at MLB Network’s faux-ballpark studio named after Jackie Robinson in Secaucus, New Jersey. This year, the draft is being expanded from two to three days, with the final two days to be held via conference call at MLB headquarters in New York.

After MLB Network broadcasts the first round of the draft live, the MLB.com website will air a live video stream from Studio 42 for the rest of Day One’s selections, starting with the first compensation round (which begins with the 33rd pick). MLB.com will provide comprehensive coverage of the final two days online.

It is widely expected that the Washington Nationals will take San Diego State junior pitcher Stephen Strasburg with the first overall selection.