Major League Baseball and the players union were involved in more CBA discussions on Thursday, and the latest meeting produced an especially bad proposal by the league.
After officially proposing a salary cap in the initial round of negotiations, the league made a proposal on Thursday that would not only dramatically alter the Major League Baseball Draft, it would also be a potentially devastating blow to minor league baseball if it ever became part of an agreement.
MLB proposal would destroy minor league baseball if it were accepted
According to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Thursday, the league proposed a new draft format that would cut the draft from 20 rounds to 12, reduce the amateur signing bonus pool nearly in half down to $200 million and ban prep/high school players from being included.
It would also give teams the ability to trade all draft picks, while also instituting an international draft.
There would be a minimum age requirement of 20 years old for the domestic draft, while the minimum age for the international draft would be 18 years old. Currently, teams can sign international free agents as young as 16 years old.
The draft lottery would also be reduced from six picks to four, while also eliminating competitive balance picks that are currently awarded to lower-revenue and smaller-market teams.
Major League Baseball attempted to frame its proposal around the idea that players now have so many opportunities in college baseball for NIL money that the entire landscape has changed.
More from an MLB statement, via ESPN:
“By creating a draft system centered around college-aged players and making most college players eligible one year earlier, more players will benefit from both a college education and an elite development environment while reaching professional baseball — and ultimately the major leagues — more quickly. We believe these changes will strengthen college baseball and deepen fans’ connection to the next generation of major league stars. We look forward to working with the MLBPA throughout the bargaining process to modernize the domestic amateur system in a way that benefits players, clubs and fans.”
Maybe that is what MLB actually believes.
But the more likely explanation is the owners see this as a means of cutting costs at the lower levels of baseball and saving money on player development. It could do so by continuing to eliminate minor league teams and perhaps even entire levels of organized ball. If fewer players get drafted and young players are not eligible for the draft, there is no need for lower levels of pro ball.
Major League Baseball has already eliminated dozens of minor league teams in recent years, and this seems to be taking it a step further.
What the league is looking for is for college baseball to serve as the main stepping stone of development for younger players.
If a college team is paying an 18- or 19-year-old to play baseball with NIL money, that is money a big league team does not have to pay to develop that player.
They want a faster return on whatever investment they are going to make, while also having to make a smaller investment.
It is all about saving money.
The CBA expires on Dec. 1, and there is a growing concern that the gap between the two sides could spill into next season, resulting in missed games for the first time since the 1994 player’s strike. There is not much optimism that is going to be avoided as both sides seem dug in with what they want. The owners want a salary cap. The owners want to spend as little money as possible. The players remain opposed to any idea of a cap. It is going to be an exhausting negotiation.