MLB on Thursday proposed an overhaul of its amateur system that would include an international draft. Starting next season, there would be 12-round international and domestic drafts (down on the domestic side from 20) for MLB, with equal bonus pools of $200M (down on the domestic side from $358.7M).
Beginning in 2028, players would need to be age 20 by Sept. 1 of the draft year, and at least two years removed from high school graduation, to be eligible for the domestic draft. Teams would be prohibited from trading first-round selections in consecutive drafts. No team would be eligible to receive a lottery pick in three straight years.
“Over the last several years, college baseball has undergone a remarkable transformation. Expanded scholarships, NIL opportunities, revenue sharing, and significant investments in facilities and player development have made college baseball an increasingly important pathway that is producing major league-ready talent at an accelerated rate,” MLB said in a statement. “Today’s top programs provide players with resources, competition, and national exposure that were unimaginable a decade ago. Our proposal is designed to build on that momentum to benefit the game at the college, minor league and major league levels. 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.”
On the international side, players would have to be 18 by Sept. 1 of their draft year (up from 17 by Sept. 1 of their sign year). MLB believes this would create transparency in the signing process through a hard-slotted system that would eliminate the practice of “handshake agreements” between teams and players. MLB will also work with the Dominican government, independent trainers and the union to establish protections and safeguards for players training in the country.
“It is long past time to reform the international amateur system in ways that would address challenges and benefit future players. The enhanced transparency of the International Draft that we are proposing is a common-sense step forward that best addresses the root causes of corruption in the current system,” MLB said in the statement. “Our vision for the new international system reduces the pressure on young athletes by giving them the chance to grow and develop, keeps kids in school longer while they pursue a career in baseball, and creates more playing opportunities for the older players who are left behind in today’s system.”
The union responded in a statement:
“Today, MLB made another set of proposals that are flat out bad for baseball, ones that would cripple the next generation of players and damage the future of our game. They would, among other things: Eliminate over a billion dollars in player compensation from the international and domestic system over the next five years, with a $400 million reduction from 2026 to 2027 alone. Destroy fundamental player rights and remove talent from our sport by barring high school and junior college players (anyone under age 20) from the domestic draft. Abolish an entire year of international signings by delaying the first draft until at least September of 2027 (and as late as March of 2028), denying young international players the ability to start their professional careers. Players remain committed to bargaining in good faith and leaving baseball better than they found it – the league’s proposals fall woefully short.”
