The 2021 Major League Baseball Draft (MLB Draft) is scheduled for July 11–13. Day 1 has a start time of 7 PM EST (4 PM PST). While the draft has traditionally been held in early June, it has been moved to mid-July so it can be held in conjunction with the All-Star events. Another change is that this year, it will be taking place in Denver. Going on vacation? Read on to find out how you can use a VPN to watch the MLB Draft live online from anywhere.
Please keep in mind that we’ll only be recommending official sources for watching the MLB Draft online. With this being a popular sports event, there will be unlicensed streams to be found. Unfortunately, these offer low-resolution video and frequent lag, plus they run the risk of being taken offline for copyright infringement. We’ll cover all of the official sources for watching the MLB Draft live online so you can watch in the highest quality without missing a minute of the action!
The MLB Draft will only be shown on region-locked platforms. If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll need to use a VPN in order to watch via your usual streaming service from home.
How to watch the MLB Draft live online with a VPN
A VPN is a service that encrypts your device’s internet traffic, allowing you to browse anonymously. Indeed, connecting to a server and changing your IP address lets you spoof your location and access geo-blocked content such as the MLB Draft.
Here’s how to live stream the MLB Draft from abroad using a VPN:
- First, you’ll need a VPN! We recommend NordVPN although you can also use Surfshark or ExpressVPN, both of which are high-quality, reliable alternatives.
- The next step is to select the appropriate VPN app for your streaming device. All of the above VPNs offer apps for a wide range of operating systems.
- Open the VPN app (or browser extension) and connect to a server in the US. This is how you get a US IP address for unblocking MLB Network and ESPN.
- Go to MLB Network and sign in via your cable TV provider. It’s also possible to watch cable-free via select TV streaming services (more on these further below).
- You should now be able to watch MLB Network without restriction. If not, it’s worth clearing your browser’s cache and cookies before refreshing your browser.
The 2021 MLB Draft will air live on MLB Network. Don’t want to miss out? It’s a good idea to test your VPN with MLB Network before draft day. Chances are that everything will work fine. However, if an issue did happen to arise, you’d then have time to contact your VPN’s customer support.
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How to watch the MLB Draft live on US TV
The MLB Draft takes place from Sunday, July 11 to Tuesday, July 13. Day 1 starts at 7 PM EST (4 PM PST), while Day 2 starts at 1 PM EST and Day 3 starts at 12 PM EST. The full MLB Draft is available to watch live online on MLB Network, while ESPN shows Day 1 only. There are ways to watch both channels cable-free. However, if you do have a cable TV subscription, know that you can sign in to either via your TV provider and watch live online at no extra cost.
Don’t have cable? You can watch MLB Network via the following TV streaming services: FuboTV ($64.99 USD/month), Sling TV ($35/month + $11/month Sports Extra add-on), and YouTube TV ($64.99/month). These services also include ESPN, as does Hulu with Live TV ($64.99/month). However, Hulu doesn’t offer MLB Network.
Some of the TV streaming services listed above include free trials which would easily see you through the MLB Draft. While MLB Network, ESPN, and the other services listed are only available in the US, you can watch them while traveling abroad with a VPN. This involves connecting to a server in the US to get a US IP address. Still don’t have a VPN? Note that NordVPN offers reliable unblocking and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
How does the MLB Draft work?
The MLB Draft sees amateur baseball players assigned to MLB teams. The draft order is determined based on the reverse order of the 2020Â MLB season standings. This means that the worst-performing teams pick earlier in the interest of fair competition. The Pittsburgh Pirates had the worst record in the 2020 MLB season. As such, they receive the first overall pick in the draft. While the draft typically consists of 40 rounds, the COVID-19 pandemic saw this reduced to just 5 in 2020. In 2021, there will be 20 rounds in total.
2021 MLB Draft Order (First Round)
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Texas Rangers
- Detroit Tigers
- Boston Red Sox
- Baltimore Orioles
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Kansas City Royal
- Colorado Rockies
- Los Angeles Angels
- New York Mets
- Washington Nationals
- Seattle Mariners
- Philadelphia Phillies
- San Francisco Giants
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Miami Marlins
- Cincinnati Reds
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Toronto Blue Jays
- New York Yankees
- Chicago Cubs
- Chicago White Sox
- Cleveland Indians
- Atlanta Braves
- Oakland Athletics
- Minnesota Twins
- San Diego Padres
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Los Angeles Dodgers
