MLBPA Officials came away “underwhelmed” by MLB’s latest collective bargaining agreement proposal during Saturday’s meetings, the Athletic’s Evan Drellich reports.
According to Drellich, MLB slightly increased their competitive balance tax offer this time around over the next five years, including a $2 million increase in the CBT in each of years 3-5.
Additionally, MLB gave two offers to raise the league’s minimum salary, the first coming for a $630,000 flat salary.
The second proposal tied the minimum salary to service time, similar to the last CBA. That offer includes $615,000 for years 0–1 service time, $650,000 for years 1–2, and $725,000 for years 2–3, the latter of which includes an increase by $25,000.
MLB increased its pre-arbitration bonus pool from $10 million to $15 million in this offer.
MLB reportedly dropped the draft-pick penalties for the first tier of exceeding the CBT, which next year would be between $214 million and $234 million. However, it kept the penalties for exceeding the $234 million mark. per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
The proposal reportedly includes incentives to not manipulate service time, with teams gaining two draft picks if they have a player finish top 3 in MVP, Cy Young or Rookie of the Year voting within their first three seasons.
Other additions to the proposal include a limit of five single-season minor league options per player and an alteration to the pre-draft physical process that would require teams to pay players 75% of their slot bonus money if they take a player who submits a pre-draft physical.
Finally, the league has updated several aspects of the draft, headlined by an offer for teams to send players they deem not ready for the majors yet to junior college for a year.
