Image credit:Gunnar Henderson (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
March 31 update: Story updated to reflect the fact that Cade Cavalli, who is out for the 2023 season, could net the Nationals a PPI draft pick if he wins 2024 NL Rookie of the Year. Passage offset in parentheses.
If any of 14 eligible players on Opening Day rosters wins a Rookie of the Year award this season, he will outfit his club with a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick in 2024.
To qualify their clubs for a PPI draft pick after the first round next year, the eligible ROY winners must accrue one year of service as rookies this season. Because one year of service is equal to 172 days on the active roster, players must break camp with the major league team or be called up within the first two weeks of the season.
This season’s PPI eligible rookies are listed alphabetically below. Three of them have no previous MLB experience and are denoted by an asterisk.
Hunter Brown, RHP, Astros
Cade Cavalli, RHP, Nationals
Corbin Carroll, OF, D-backs
Triston Casas, 1B, Red Sox
Oscar Colas, OF, White Sox*
Gunnar Henderson, 3B, Orioles
Josh Jung, 3B, Rangers
Logan O’Hoppe, C, Angels
Ryan Pepiot, RHP, Dodgers
Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Rockies
Miguel Vargas, 2B, Dodgers
Anthony Volpe, SS, Yankees*
Ken Waldichuk, LHP, Athletics
Jordan Walker, OF, Cardinals*
Keep in mind that the players listed above need to stick on MLB rosters all season and also win a ROY award to qualify their clubs for a potential PPI draft pick in 2024.
Even if players don’t win ROY this year, they may still outfit their clubs with future PPI draft picks. Case in point: Nationals righthander Cade Cavalli.
The 24-year-old Cavalli will miss this season after having Tommy John surgery in March, but he is a PPI qualifying prospect who will accrue a full year of service in 2023 on the MLB injured list. So if he were to place top three in CYA voting in any future season before he reaches arbitration, typically after three years of service, then the Nationals would receive a PPI draft pick.
Update: Baseball America subsequently learned that if Cavalli were to win Rookie of the Year in 2024—an improbable outcome in light of him projecting to miss about half the season—then he would garner the Nationals a PPI draft pick.
Of the three PPI eligible rookies with no prior MLB experience, Oscar Colas and Anthony Volpe reached Triple-A last September, while Jordan Walker topped out at Double-A and will be one of the youngest players in MLB at just 20 years old on Opening Day.
Additionally, four other PPI potentials were optioned to Triple-A during the last week of big league camp and could theoretically accrue 172 service days in 2023 if called up within the first 14 days of the season. That group is made up of Mets third baseman Brett Baty, Yankees shortstop Oswald Peraza and the Orioles duo of righthander Grayson Rodriguez and lefthander D.L. Hall.
The PPI initiative was introduced in 2022 as part of the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. The program’s aim is to discourage service time manipulation and incentivize teams to carry top prospects on Opening Day rosters. Players qualify by meeting three criteria:
(1) He must appear on a preseason Top 100 Prospects ranking by at least two of Baseball America, ESPN or MLB Pipeline.
(2) He must be rookie-eligible and must have fewer than 60 days of prior MLB service.
(3) He must accrue one year of MLB service as a rookie.
Last season, the Mariners broke camp with 21-year-old Julio Rodriguezas their center fielder. He won American League Rookie of the Year and, as a PPI qualifying player, he bestowed Seattle with the 29th pick—and roughly $2.5 million in bonus pool money—in the 2023 draft.
Eight other 2022 rookies have continuing PPI eligibility, which will trigger draft picks for their clubs if they place top three in MVP or Cy Young Award races prior to qualifying for arbitration. Players may net only one PPI draft pick for their clubs, and draft pick compensation is voided if the player is traded.
Players with continuing PPI eligibility are listed alphabetically here:
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
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As a seasoned baseball enthusiast with an in-depth understanding of the game and its intricacies, I can confidently delve into the complexities of the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) program, as outlined in the provided article.
The article discusses the eligibility criteria and potential impact of Rookie of the Year (ROY) winners on their respective clubs, particularly in relation to the PPI draft pick in the following year. To qualify for a PPI draft pick, a player must win the ROY award and accrue one year of service as a rookie, equivalent to 172 days on the active roster during the current season.
The list of PPI-eligible rookies for the current season includes notable names such as Hunter Brown (RHP, Astros), Cade Cavalli (RHP, Nationals), Corbin Carroll (OF, D-backs), Triston Casas (1B, Red Sox), and others. Notably, three players – Oscar Colas (OF, White Sox), Anthony Volpe (SS, Yankees), and Jordan Walker (OF, Cardinals) – have no prior MLB experience, marked by an asterisk.
It's crucial for these players to remain on MLB rosters throughout the season and secure the ROY award to qualify their clubs for a potential PPI draft pick in 2024. Even if they don't win the ROY, there's mention of the possibility for players to still contribute future PPI draft picks to their clubs.
The article provides a unique case study with Cade Cavalli, a Nationals pitcher who, despite missing the current season due to Tommy John surgery, could still become a PPI qualifying prospect by accruing a full year of service in 2023 on the MLB injured list. If he were to place in the top three in CYA (presumably Cy Young Award) voting in a future season before reaching arbitration, the Nationals would receive a PPI draft pick.
Furthermore, the article highlights other players who could theoretically accrue 172 service days in 2023 if called up within the first 14 days of the season, even if they were optioned to Triple-A during the last week of big league camp.
The Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) initiative was introduced in 2022 as part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement to discourage service time manipulation and encourage teams to include top prospects on Opening Day rosters. To qualify for PPI, players must meet specific criteria, including appearing on preseason Top 100 Prospects rankings, being rookie-eligible with less than 60 days of prior MLB service, and accruing one year of MLB service as a rookie.
The article concludes by mentioning the continuing PPI eligibility of players from the 2022 rookie class, triggering draft picks for their clubs if they place in the top three in MVP or Cy Young Award races before arbitration.
In summary, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the PPI program, its eligibility criteria, and the potential impact on clubs based on the performance of rookie players, exemplifying the intricate dynamics of player development and team strategy in Major League Baseball.
