Major League Baseball has had preliminary discussions about a potential international players draft, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports.
Recent talks between the league and prominent Latin American trainers have included a framework that could be implemented in 2020 or 2021, prior to the current collective bargaining agreement's expiration following the 2021 campaign.
This framework, which is subject to change, is said to include the following details:
- A 15-round draft
- Each pick would have a hard slot
- Draft picks can be traded
- Players who don't get drafted can be signed for up to $50,000
- Signing age remains 16
Prior discussions involved a six-round draft, Badler adds.
The hard slot means that if a particular pick is given a slot value of $2 million, the player selected at that spot would receive exactly $2 million from the drafting team. Precise pricing is yet to be determined.
The idea is still a long way from coming to fruition, Badler notes. The Major League Baseball Players Association would need to approve the draft, and the league has not submitted a proposal to the union yet.
