MLB allows team scouting activities to resume

Per ESPN MLB reporter Kiley McDaniel, the MLB officially announced on Monday that clubs can resume team scouting activities immediately. Due to the coronavirus, a ban was placed on teams back on March 19.

“There is a limit of three scouts per MLB club for each event, as a way for clubs to ramp up scouting activity,” says McDaniel. “Although pro baseball has not resumed, amateur baseball tournaments were playing in multiple states weeks ago, with no MLB scouts or college coaches present.”

Now that the 2020 MLB Draft has come and gone, the 2021 scouting circuit begins with the Perfect Game National on Wednesday, June 17. The event showcases hundreds of 2021 prep prospects and will be hosted in Birmingham, Alabama.

Due to the pandemic, teams needed to make decisions in the latest draft based on a pool of information that wasn’t quite complete since there were no spring evaluations. This showcase features wooden bats and upper-echelon competition so scouts put an emphasis on this event, specifically.

“This comes at a key time for scouts, as there were widespread pay cuts and furloughs around the industry at a time when they didn’t have any games to attend. The Los Angeles Angels made the most aggressive move in this area, telling employees on May 19 of plans to furlough their entire scouting staff.”