Major League Baseball (MLB) owners have proposed a new collective bargaining agreement that would ban high school students from signing with major league teams. The proposal, made during a bargaining session with the players’ association, would raise the age for international amateurs and slash the money spent on signing bonuses.

Changes to the Draft System

The amateur draft for players residing in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico would be cut from 20 rounds to 12 beginning in 2027. An identical 12-round draft would be started for international prospects, a proposal the union has rejected in the past. Starting in 2028, a prospect for the amateur draft would have to be at least 20 years old by the Sept. 1 of their signing year and two years removed from the graduating year of their high school class.

MLB cited increased revenue in college baseball as reasoning for the proposed changes. The league stated that expanded scholarships, NIL opportunities, revenue sharing, and significant investments in facilities and player development have made college baseball an increasingly important pathway for producing major league-ready talent.

Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.