MLB’s International Draft Would Affect Dominican Republic - The New York Times

Monday is the deadline to agree — or not — to creating a first ever international amateur draft. When M.L.B. and the union had their contentious negotiations for a new labor agreement this past off-season, the international draft had to be deferred until now to avoid delaying the regular season. A draft would end international amateur free agency.

“The draft is the best that can happen to the Dominican right now,” Rodríguez said. “The first kid from the 2024 class that reached an agreement is one of mine. But I have a business in this. And if I don’t do it, someone else will.”

M.L.B. effectively offered the union a trade: the introduction of an international draft in 2024, which M.L.B. has long wanted but the union has long resisted, in return for the elimination of the qualifying offer system, which ties draft picks to top free agents, something the union believes has hurt the market value for those players.

The league and the union differ on details and dollar amounts, like, as of Sunday night, $191 million vs. $260 million total for draft-eligible players, according to a person familiar with the negotiations not publicly authorized to discuss them, but they appear set on what would be a draft of 20 rounds. If no deal is struck, the status quo will remain and the collective bargaining agreement will be finalized with no stoppage in play.