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MLB Draft Combine Testing

Since 2021, Major League Baseball has held a pre-draft combine for high school and college baseball players (like the NFL and NHL), which involves a series of medical and performance assessments on potential baseball draft picks.

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Plans to conduct a draft combine started in 2015 after a complicated situation unfolded with the No. 1 pick in 2014, Brady Aiken. It is hoped that access to amateur players’ medical information will help avoid a repeat of the situation.

The inaugural Draft Combine in 2021 was held at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, while San Diego’s Petco Park, home of the Padres, hosted the second event in June 2022. The 2023 event was held at Chase Field in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona.

There are five assessment categories at the combine: club interviews; medical assessments; vision testing; on-field assessment; and strength and conditioning physical tests.

There are no complete description of the testing procedure, so we have taken information from various sources about what is conducted. The lists of test is probably incomplete, but it gives an idea of what is done.

Medical Assessments

These are some of the medical assessments done.

• Blood tests, MRI
• Body Measurements:
  • Weight, Body composition measurements (skinfolds)
  • Height, Sitting Height and Arm-Span
  • Girth and Width Measurements
• Posture Assessemnt
• Range of motion assessmnts - elbow, shoulder, neck, spine, hip
• Functional movement screen: involves seven specific joint assessments, developed by Cook et al. (1998). The results could ultimately reveal imbalances and symmetry deficiencies in movements of the body, and is used as a screening tool to identify athletes at risk of injury
• Y-Balance Test
• Grip Strength

Stength and conditioning physical tests

• Counter Movement Jump — maximum height jump test, using a force plate for meaurement. Conducted with and without arm swing movement.
• Broad Jump — measuring maximal horizontal jump distance. In 2021, the jump included a small pre-jump. This was not part of the test in 2023.
• 30 Yard Dash — a straight line sprint test that measures speed and acceleration. The participants start facing side-on to the running direction. Timing gates are placed every five yards.
• Agility & Reaction

Other Tests

• Swing analysis

Combine Results

• 2021
• 2022
• 2023

Related Pages

• Some of the combine tests are similar to that used for the Baseball SPARQ testing.
• 'MLB The Show' - Manage Your Favorite Team
• About the different Sports Combines
• Fitness Testing for Baseball
• Baseball Warm-Up
• Discussion of the fitness components for baseball
• Who Is The Fittest Baseball Player Ever?
• Poll: Fitness components for baseball

Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.