Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continue negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, with MLB presenting a sweeping set of proposals for changes to the amateur draft. Multiple outlets report that MLB’s plan would restructure draft eligibility by effectively removing high school players from the draft, instead raising the minimum eligibility age. CBS Sports and Yahoo Sports specifically describe raising draft eligibility to age 20. The proposal also aims to redesign the draft itself: CBS and Yahoo report that MLB would cut the number of draft rounds, from the current format to a smaller number (notably cited as 12). In addition, MLB would add an international draft component, reflecting a shift toward broader talent sourcing outside the current domestic-focused system.
Separate coverage also reports that bonus-related changes are part of the league’s broader draft overhaul, with Fox News citing nearly halving amateur signing bonuses and projecting significant cost savings. New York Post and Yahoo Sports report that the MLBPA responds critically to the proposals. Overall, the proposals are framed as cost- and structure-related changes linked to the CBA, while their impact on amateur entry points—particularly for high school prospects—is central to the dispute.
