Mlb's Draft Overhaul Faces Backlash From Players Association
WHO:
NY Post - Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), player agent Scott Boras.
WHAT:
USA Today - MLB's proposal would eliminate more than $1 billion in player compensation from the international and domestic system over the next five years, with a $400 million reduction in 2026-2027.
USA Today - MLB's proposal would require players to be at least 20 years old by September 1 of their draft year and at least two years after their high school graduation, starting in 2028.
USA Today - The new draft would reduce the number of rounds from 20 to 12 and implement a $200 million draft pool, down from $358.7 million.
USA Today - MLB's proposal includes a 12-round international draft restricted to players who are at least 18 years old, with a signing-bonus pool of $200 million for 360 international players.
USA Today - International players who aren’t drafted would be limited to a maximum $10,000 signing bonus while receiving a $30,000 bonus once they complete a full minor-league season.
Fox News - MLB owners propose cutting amateur signing bonuses nearly in half, saving over a billion dollars in upcoming years.
The New York Times - The league's proposal includes skipping an entire class of international amateur signings, resulting in a $400 million reduction in overall signing bonuses for the first year of the contract.
NY Post - MLB proposed a major overhaul to its draft eligibility system.
The New York Times - MLB proposed changes including reductions of hundreds of millions of dollars in signing bonuses for amateurs and the elimination of high-school draft picks.
The New York Times - The league is proposing both domestic and international drafts to be 12 rounds each, with a $200 million signing-bonus pool and hard slots for each pick.
The New York Times - Domestic amateurs received about $402 million last year, and international amateurs received about $197 million, totaling close to $600 million in combined bonuses.
The New York Times - The league aims to reduce overall outlay for amateurs by at least $200 million annually.
The New York Times - The union stated that the reduction in overall signing bonuses would be $400 million for the first year of the contract.
The New York Times - Starting with the 2028 domestic draft, domestic draftees must be at least 20 years old by September 1 of that year and at least two years removed from high-school graduation.
The New York Times - MLB is raising the signing age for international amateurs from 17 to 18 years old by September 1 of the year they join a team.
The New York Times - MLB proposed to allow teams to trade draft picks in both drafts, with specific limitations on trading first-round picks.
The New York Times - MLB proposed to reduce the number of teams subject to the draft lottery from six to four.
WHERE:
The New York Times - The proposal affects players across the United States and internationally, particularly in regions like the Dominican Republic.
WHEN:
The New York Times - The league's proposed changes are part of ongoing labor negotiations, with the current labor deal set to expire in December 2026.
The New York Times - The 2028 domestic draft is mentioned as a future event.
WHY:
The New York Times - MLB stated that the changes aim to create a draft system centered around college-aged players, allowing more players to benefit from a college education and elite development.
The New York Times - The league's motivation includes reducing the number of draftees and ensuring more reliable investments in players.
HOW:
The New York Times - MLB is proposing to allow teams to trade draft picks in both drafts, with specific limitations on trading first-round picks, including that teams cannot deal away first-round picks in consecutive domestic drafts.
The New York Times - MLB's proposal includes hard slots for draft picks, which ties a fixed amount of money to each selection, differing from the current system that allows for negotiation.
(UPDATED June 19, 2026 06:42 UTC)
Major League Baseball has unveiled a proposal that aims to cut over $1 billion in player compensation from both the international and domestic systems over the next five years, including a significant $400 million reduction for the 2026-2027 period. The plan also introduces a new draft structure that would decrease the number of rounds from 20 to 12, along with a $200 million draft pool, down from $358.7 million, and it sets age requirements for players to be at least 20 years old by September 1 of their draft year, starting in 2028. Additionally, the proposal includes a 12-round international draft for players aged 18 and older, with a signing-bonus pool of $200 million for 360 international players, while undrafted international players would face a maximum signing bonus of $10,000 and a $30,000 bonus after completing a full minor-league season.
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(UPDATED June 19, 2026 01:56 UTC)
Major League Baseball owners have proposed a significant reduction in amateur signing bonuses, aiming to cut them nearly in half and save over a billion dollars in the coming years. This plan includes skipping an entire class of international amateur signings, which would lead to a $400 million decrease in overall signing bonuses for the first year of the contract. Additionally, MLB is suggesting that teams be allowed to trade draft picks in both drafts, with certain restrictions on trading first-round picks, including a rule that prevents teams from dealing away first-round picks in consecutive domestic drafts.
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(UPDATED June 18, 2026 23:41 UTC)
Major League Baseball has proposed a significant overhaul to its draft eligibility system, aiming to reduce overall spending on signing bonuses for amateur players by at least $200 million annually. The changes include raising the signing age for international amateurs, eliminating high-school draft picks, and introducing a new structure for both domestic and international drafts, which would consist of 12 rounds each with a $200 million signing-bonus pool. These proposals are part of ongoing labor negotiations, with the current deal set to expire in December 2026, and the new draft rules would take effect starting with the 2028 domestic draft.