si
The 2027 MLB Draft is set to feature an unprecedented three compensatory picks under the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI), a program established in the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement to reward teams for promoting top prospects who achieve major early-career success.
The Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers secured their extra selections after Sal Stewart and Kevin McGonigle were named Rookie of the Year in their respective leagues. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Guardians earned a pick when Parker Messick was named an American League Cy Young finalist.
These three picks will be placed at the end of the first round, preceding any free-agent compensatory selections. The order is determined by regular-season records: Cincinnati (75-87) will pick 28th, Detroit (76-86) will pick 29th, and Cleveland (85-77) will pick 30th. The Reds and Tigers finished just one game apart in the standings, but Cincinnati's slightly worse record gives them the higher selection.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Yankees are expected to drop out of the top 30 due to Competitive Balance Tax penalties that will push their first selections back 10 spots.
Record-Breaking PPI Haul
The outcome was anticipated once the award finalists were announced on November 3. All three National League Rookie of the Year finalists were PPI-eligible, and the only uncertainty was whether McGonigle would edge out Messick for the award, which he did.
Stewart, McGonigle, and Messick all entered the 2026 season as PPI-qualifying prospects, having ranked in at least two of the top 100 lists from MLB Pipeline, ESPN, or Baseball America. Messick becomes the first player to earn a PPI pick for his team without winning Rookie of the Year, highlighting the program's broader criteria.
Prior to this season, only six PPI picks had been awarded in four years. The 2026 campaign alone accounts for three, bringing the total to nine in the five seasons since the incentive was implemented. Given its success, the PPI is expected to be retained in the next CBA, as it benefits both teams and players.
Financial Rewards for Players
Stewart and McGonigle will each receive $750,000 pre-draft bonuses for winning Rookie of the Year. Carson Benge, who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year race, will get $500,000. Messick will earn at least $1.5 million for a top-three finish in the AL Cy Young Award voting, plus an additional $500,000 for finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Payton Tolle.
McGonigle also joins a growing list of players who have signed long-term extensions in the same year they earned a PPI pick for their club. That list includes Julio Rodríguez (2022), Corbin Carroll (2023), and Bobby Witt Jr. (2024). All four players inked extensions with mid-market teams willing to take a risk on their franchise player before they became expensive.
This trend may continue as teams identify face-of-the-franchise talents and lock them up early, a strategy that offers cost certainty and potential savings. It has proven effective for budget-conscious clubs, as the Milwaukee Brewers demonstrated in 2026.