Sources: MLB again proposes international draft
Key takeaways
- MLB's international draft would be restricted to players who are at least 18 years old, as opposed to 16 under the current system.
- The pitch was part of a wider MLB proposal pertaining to amateur players, one that is expected to include drastic cuts for those coming through the traditional, U.S.-based draft.
- Four years ago, MLB and the MLBPA didn't engage in talks around an international draft until the late stages of what was ultimately a 99-day lockout.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Major League Baseball has once again proposed an international draft as part of its negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement, sources told ESPN on Thursday, painting it as a push to provide structure for an increasingly unruly and corrupt system.
MLB's international draft would be restricted to players who are at least 18 years old, as opposed to 16 under the current system. It would consist of 12 hard-slot rounds, with an initial signing-bonus pool totaling $200 million for 360 amateur players residing outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, according to sources.
The pitch was part of a wider MLB proposal pertaining to amateur players, one that is expected to include drastic cuts for those coming through the traditional, U.S.-based draft. It comes three weeks after owners formally proposed a salary cap, a major point of contention for the MLB Players' Association that is widely expected to trigger another prolonged lockout.