Major League Baseball’s latest labor proposal would make significant changes to the draft and player development. The collective bargaining agreement between the MLB Players’ Union and team owners is set to expire on December 1, and negotiations on a new pact are expected to be contentious.
Proposed Changes
According to multiple reports, owners hope to eliminate high school players from the draft, with the minimum age for draft-eligible players raised to 20. The draft could also be reduced from 20 rounds to 12. Additionally, an international draft could be created, with the age limit for signing international players rising from 16 to 18.
These changes could save owners as much as $1 billion combined over the life of the next CBA, according to some estimates. Team values continue to rise at record rates, with the free-spending Los Angeles Dodgers agreeing to lucrative deals like Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million per season and Kyle Tucker’s $60 million per season.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
