In the past, names like Bryce Harper, Carlos Correa, and Joe Mauer got drafted straight out of high school. But MLB’s latest amateur-entry proposal could prevent the same scene from happening again in the future. As per the new proposal, all US-born talents must be two years removed from their high school graduation to be eligible to be drafted. If this comes to life, the MLB draft would take a new route, while college baseball would see a whole lease of life.

However, veterans like former Red Sox Jeff Frye are more concerned about a few other proposals also made, which could restrict the new opportunities.

“Idiots! The MLBPA should tell them to shove it! The MLB talent pool is already diminished because there are only 20 rounds, so let’s make it even worse by only having 12 rounds! The owners are getting richer by the minute, and they’re trying to cut costs on draft picks? The MLB players need to STRIKE!,” Frye said.

MLBPA already rejected the proposal. “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,” MLBPA’s official statement reads. Frye went on to tag Elon Musk, asking him to start a new league challenging MLB! So, in terms of their new draft proposal, MLB is neither getting the current players on their side nor the former ones. But MLB stands firm with its vision.

Reason? MLB argues that the evolution of NCAA programs, boosted by NIL opportunities, expanded scholarships, and modern facilities, produces MLB-ready talent faster than in the past. Also, trimming 8 rounds drops the overall domestic bonus pool significantly. It limits spending on bonuses and allows teams to rely on hard-slot values for maximum cost certainty. So, MLB clearly wants to create steps for a new talent that starts with school baseball, then college baseball, MiLB, and finally the major league.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, “The proposal, made at a collective bargaining meeting with the MLB Players Association on Thursday, called for the domestic draft to be shortened from 20 to 12 hard-slotted rounds and the amateur signing bonus pool to be nearly halved to $200 million.”

Skipping college baseball and getting directly into MiLB may work with a few generational talents. But MLB wants to maintain a uniform stepping stone.

“If the goal is to continually grow our game and create more interest from youth baseball. How does it make sense to severely decrease the opportunity to get to pro ball by shortening the draft by another 8 rounds?” Dodgers veteran Justin Turner posed a question via X.

Surely, this would limit the opportunities for the new talent. For instance, former World Series champion AJ Pierzynski was first drafted in the 29th round. But in the new proposal, he would not have been allowed to get into the draft. On the other hand, it is going to help the team owners. Just when MLB is pushing hard for a salary cap to limit the owners’ cost, trimming down the rounds would also save enough for them.

MLB, though, has a few on its side regarding the salary cap proposal.

MLB’s salary cap proposal has a few takers

There are a few former players who sided with MLB in implementing a salary cap. “Yes, there should be one, because it has to be fair to everybody,” Yankees veteran Mariano Rivera said last month. “It makes the competition better.”

Implementing a salary cap would limit the excessive spending by teams like the Dodgers and Mets. It would create equality with the low-spending teams, but it comes at the cost of the players’ rights. For instance, Shohei Ohtani would not have fetched a $700 million deal with the salary cap in place. But if he deserves it, why not offer the same?

“Of course they’re always gonna go after the people spending the most,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said, criticizing MLB for the salary cap push.

So, with both parties already at loggerheads over the salary cap, MLB’s draft proposal just added fuel to the fire. Frye is calling the players for a strike over the draft proposal, which might become real by December. There are already a few proposals and counters offered, but a consensus is yet to be reached. In the end, the risk of a lockout is only becoming brighter with each passing day.