MLB Disaster Plan (Restocking Draft)

In the event that an incident occurs during an MLB club's regular season (or post-season) where at least five players on the club's MLB Active List, injured lists, Paternity Leave List, Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List, and/or Suspended List are killed, dismembered, or permanently incapacitated, or an incident occurs during the off season or Spring Training where at least six players on the club's MLB Reserve List (including MLB 60-day Injured List) are killed, dismembered, and/or permanently incapacitated, MLB has a "Disaster Plan" in place under MLB Rule 19 (formerly MLB Rule 29) that includes financial support and a "Restocking Draft" for the stricken club (known as the "Disabled Club"). The plan has existed in basically the same form since 1965, so the method for allocating talent to the affected team essentially follows the mechanism used to distribute players to MLB expansion teams in 1960-61.

Under this plan, after a reasonable period of mourning, and presuming that the MLB Commissioner, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), and the other 29 clubs jointly agree that the Disabled Club's season should continue, each of the other 29 clubs will be required to contribute five players from its MLB Active List as of the date of the incident (if the incident occurred during the Disabled Club's regular season or post-season), or five players from its MLB Reserve List as of the date of the incident (if the incident occurred during the Disabled Club's off-season or Spring Training), into the Restocking Draft (Rule 19 Draft) pool, including one pitcher, one infielder, one outfielder, and one catcher (but only if the club has at least three catchers on its MLB Active List or MLB Reserve List as applicable), plus one additional player regardless of position (or two additional players regardless of position if the club does not have three catchers available to place into the pool).

If possible, the five players made available by each club must include as many players with a minimum of 60 days (0+060) of MLB Service Time as of the previous August 31st as were lost in the disaster. 

From the Restocking Draft pool, the Disabled Club will be permitted to select replacements for the players lost in the disaster.

1. The number of players selected by the Disabled Club must match the number of players lost in the disaster;

2. No club can lose more than one player;

3. Any player with a "no trade" right is exempt from inclusion in the pool unless the player waives his "no trade" right in advance;

4. A player on an Injured List cannot be included in the pool unless the player is eligible to be reinstated from the Injured List and the player's club certifies that the player is healthy enough to play if selected. The Disabled Club can return a selected player to the player's previous club within 48 hours if the player does not pass his physical; 

5. Each player selected by the Disabled Club must be be placed on the Disabled Club's MLB Reserve List - AND - MLB Active List if the event occurred during the season (after the first day of Spring Training up through the conclusion of the Disabled Club's season), or on the Disabled Club's MLB Reserve List (only) if the event occurred during the off-season or Spring Training.  

In addition to the Restocking Draft and financial support, various other considerations may be temporarily extended to the Disabled Club by the MLB Commissioner (with consent of the MLBPA), including additional selections in the MLB Rule 4 and/or Rule 5 drafts, a higher waiver-claim priority for a given period of time, and/or a modification to the post-season roster eligibility deadline.