MLB Owners Propose Overhaul of Amateur Draft and Salary-Cap Plan

Commissioner Rob Manfred’s owners propose cutting the domestic amateur draft from 20 to 12 rounds, ending high-school eligibility, halving the bonus pool from $401 million to $200 million, adding an international draft with later entry ages, and pairing these changes with a salary-cap plan that raises major-league payrolls in 2027 versus 2026.

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MLB says the plan cuts costs while fostering growth by shifting development to colleges, noting that 75 percent of domestic major-league players come from college baseball. The plan is led by Commissioner Rob Manfred and opposed by the MLB Players Union; stakeholders include Keith Law, Dave Van Horn and Konnor Griffin. Draft rounds 20->12; bonus pool $401 M->$200 M; max $10,000 for passed-over signings; 720 amateurs yearly; 120 minor-league affiliates unchanged; two-team expansion under review; salary-cap payrolls higher in 2027.

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MLB frames the plan as a cost-saving measure that raises earnings with a higher 2027 salary cap. The Players Union called the proposals “flat out bad for baseball” and warned they would cripple the next generation of players.

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Analyst Keith Law says the cuts reduce opportunities and could push talent to other sports. Coach Van Horn warns draft-eligible sophomores would weaken college competitiveness. The union’s statement echoes these concerns, stressing risks to earnings and development.

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MLB’s claim that 75 percent of players come from college conflicts with the impact of high-school signees who have become Hall-of-Fame stars. The league offers no detailed financing plan for the higher salary cap, and the effect of a reduced amateur pool on future minor-league affiliate viability is unquantified.

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If adopted, the reforms could streamline scouting but risk narrowing the talent pipeline, lowering incoming player quality. Reduced bonuses and limited draft slots may drive prospects to other leagues or sports, while unchanged minor-league numbers could strain development if the player base contracts.

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The proposals will be debated in upcoming collective-bargaining sessions, with the union expected to file objections. Parallel talks with Professional Development League license holders are slated for 2030, and the two-team expansion plan depends on the draft reforms’ outcome.

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• “Initial proposals matter only so much.” — Keith Law

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• “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.” — MLB Players Union

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• “If you want to compete in the Southeastern Conference, full-grown man league … it’s hard to win with three freshmen in the lineup and a couple of freshman pitchers that you depend on every weekend,” — Dave Van Horn

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• “Why MLB's draft proposal would be bad for baseball's future Keith Law The league says its salary cap proposal would pay major leaguers more in 2027 than in 2026, so clearly the owners want to save elsewhere.” — Keith Law

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