If we draft him, how long could we lock him up before he ran to the Yankees?
Depending on how long it takes for him to get to the majors, anywhere from 6-11 years with 7-8 being the most likely. A player signed under the age of 19 can be on minor league rosters for 5 years without being placed on the 40-man before being eligible for the Rule V draft, but early first round picks are starting to get more major league contracts. This means that they are immediately placed on the 40-man and use an option year each season they are in the minors. Each player has three option years and after that they have to be placed on the 25-man roster or placed through waivers. Once at the MLB level, teams get 6 years of control until free agency.
