MLB amends rule regarding trading recent draftees

It was widely reported that Trea Turner, the 13th overall selection in last year's draft, was the player to be named later in a three-team trade between the San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals and Tampa Bay Rays this winter.

No team would confirm the 21-year-old's inclusion in the deal, however, as MLB rules prohibit teams from trading recently drafted players until 12 months after their signing date.

On Friday, however, the league amended its policy, permitting teams to trade new draftees on the day following the conclusion of the World Series – effectively shortening the no-trade period from 12 months to five months. The revised rule was relayed to all 30 teams via email Friday, according to Fangraphs' Dave Cameron:

Please be advised that the Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association have agreed to amend the Major League Rules in advance of this year’s Rule 4 Draft with respect to players-to-be-named-later (“PTBNLs”) under Rule 12(e)(2), and the trading of draft picks under Rule 3(b)(6). …commencing with players eligible for the 2015 Rule 4 Draft, (a) players selected in the Draft may be traded beginning on the day following the conclusion of the World Series, and (b) drafted players cannot be PTBNLs unless they otherwise could be traded pursuant to Rule 3(b)(6), as amended, at the time of the trade.

Turner, who was drafted by San Diego, will nevertheless spend the next six weeks within the Padres organization until he's officially announced as the PTBNL bound for the Nationals.