Ever Wonder How the ECLL Draft Works?

Here is a breakdown straight from the East County Little League Bylaws explaining how teams are formed.

ARTICLE XXIII – PLAYER DRAFT

Section 1 – Draft Guidelines

All team drafts are conducted in accordance with the Little League Baseball, Inc. Operating Manual.

Section 2 – Manager’s Option

If a manager has a child eligible for the draft, that player is protected from being selected by other managers until after the specified round based on league age:

• League Age 12 – Protected until after the 3rd round

• League Age 11 – Protected until after the 4th round

• League Age 7–10 – Protected until after the 5th round

If the manager does not select his or her child by the specified round, the player becomes eligible to be drafted by any other team.

Section 3 – Coach’s Option

A manager may declare one assistant coach prior to the draft.

Requirements:

• Must notify the appropriate Player Agent in writing at least 48 hours before the draft

  • Baseball: [email protected]

  • Softball: [email protected]

• The assistant coach must be fully registered and approved by the Board prior to the draft.

• The coach’s child must be league-age eligible for that division.

If all requirements are met, the coach’s child is protected until after the 1st round.

If the manager does not select the coach’s child in the 1st round, that player becomes eligible to be drafted by any other team.

Section 4 – Brother/Sister Option

When two or more siblings are eligible in the same division:

• Once the first sibling is drafted, that manager has the option to draft the other sibling on the team’s next draft pick.

• If the manager does not exercise this option immediately, the sibling becomes eligible to be drafted by any other team.

Section 5 – Player Evaluations (Tryouts)

• Evaluations are conducted by age group.

• There will be at least two scheduled tryouts per age group.

• All players age 7 and up must attend at least one tryout.

If a player age 7+ does not attend at least one tryout:

• They may not be selected during the draft.

• They will be placed randomly on a team in the lowest eligible division based on league age.

Section 6 – Assignment Requests

• Farm and Tee Ball divisions are assigned (not drafted). Parents may request placement preferences, but ECLL cannot guarantee requests.

• Single A and above divisions are drafted. No player or manager assignment requests will be accepted.

Section 7 – Draft Order by Division

Drafts are conducted in the following order:

1. Majors

2. AAA

3. AA

4. A

At each level, the Player Agent ensures that no eligible player drops below the highest division at which they played the previous season.

For example:
A player who played AAA the previous season must be drafted at least to AAA and cannot fall to AA.

Section 8 – Draft Order

• Draft order within each division is determined by a blind draw prior to the draft.

• Team names are selected in reverse draft order.

Section 9 – Trades

• Trades are only permitted in the draft room immediately following the draft.

• All trades must be reviewed and approved (or denied) by the President, Vice President, or next available Executive Board member.

• No trades are permitted after leaving the draft room.