No Cal Players Taken in MLB Draft for 1st Time Since 2007 -- But This Draft Was Odd

This is only the third time since the baseball draft began in 1965 that no Cal players were drafted -- but this draft had just 5 rounds

For only the second time since 1968, a Cal player was not selected in the Major League Baseball draft.

Of course, there should be asterisk beside the 2020 MLB draft, which was completed Thursday with rounds two through five. That's because this year's draft featured only five rounds -- 160 picks.  Typically the MLB draft has 40 rounds. But the COVID-19 pandemic caused a change in the rules this year.

Cal second baseman Darren Baker was considered a candidate to be drafted, but his name was not called Thursday. So he, like a large number of other potential major-leaguers, will probably sign a free-agent contract. As a Cal junior, Baker also has the option of returning to Cal for another season.

Three other Cal players figured to have outside chances of being drafted in this unusual draft, which was difficult to project because of the many financial considerations.  Junior outfielder Brandon McIlwain, senior outfielder Max Flower and junior infielder Quentin Selma were the other Bears who were hoping to be drafted. McIlwain has already graduated from Cal, so he is likely to sign a free-agent contract.

The last time no Cal player was taken in the MLB draft was 2007, and the only other time no Golden Bears were selected in the baseball draft was 1968, which was just the fourth year that Major League Baseball conducted a draft.

Last year, seven Cal players were drafted, including two first-rounders (Andrew Vaughn and Korey Lee). McIlwain was also drafted last June, taken by Miami with a 26th-round pick.  He opted to return to Cal after considering signing with the Marlins.

Twelve Pac-12 players were drafted this year -- five from Arizona State, two from UCLA, two from Arizona and one each from Oregon State, Washington and USC. It was strange not to see a single Stanford player drafted considering the Cardinal's rich baseball tradition.

Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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