Credit agent Scott Boras for finding another loophole in the system.

According to Baseball America, Boras client Landon Powell, a highly rated high school catcher from Apex, N.C., will have his pick of major league teams thanks to a little-known draft rule that allows players who receive a General Equivalency Diploma to declare themselves eligible for selection.

Baseball America reported Tuesday that Major League Baseball validated Powell's GED.

Powell, 18, was eligible but was not selected in the June draft. As a result, he becomes a free agent.

Powell likely would have been a high draft pick in June if teams had known he was available. Baseball America rates him as the No. 2 high school prospect for the 2001 draft.

The switch-hitting catcher entered the 2000 draft after passing the GED test in late May. Major League Baseball prohibited teams from contacting Powell pending its investigation of the GED.

"The wrongful suspension of Landon Powell is over and teams are free to negotiate with him," Boras said Tuesday afternoon. "What's important to ask now is, why did it take the commissioner's office 60 days to determine whether or not this GED was valid? We sent the office confirmation 10 days prior to the draft. It's troubling because the commissioner's office took away 60 days of the player's right to negotiate."

Powell, a second-team Baseball America High School All-American, hit .397 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI in 78 at-bats for Apex High last spring.

Boras is noted for discovering a contract loophole after the 1996 draft that gave free agency to pitchers John Patterson, Matt White and Bobby Seay and first baseman Travis Lee.

They were not offered contracts within 15 days after being drafted and declared free agents. Each player signed a multi-million dollar bonus with a team different than the one that drafted them.