Dodgers Star Calls Out MLB for 'Ridiculous' Proposal Amid CBA Negotiations

As the 2026 offseason approaches, proposals from both Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have started to trickle in regarding the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The current CBA expires after this season, and there is the expectation of a lockout coming with the two sides far away from an agreement. Within these negotiations, MLB has made some proposals that aren't going to make players happy (other than the impending salary cap talks).

One of those came this week, with the league proposing to make major changes to its draft process. This includes excluding high school players from being draft eligible, reducing the draft rounds from 20 down to 12 and cutting the signing bonus pool for draft picks almost in half.

Star first baseman Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacted to this news, calling out the league for this "ridiculous" proposal.

What?” he said when told about this proposal, calling it "ridiculous."

“I think maybe now the fans will start seeing that it’s just money,” Freeman added. “Because that’s just cutting. It’s all about money.”

Like many other players, Freeman feels like the league has approached the negotiations unfairly, with only money in mind — not competitive balance as they try to claim. It remains to be seen if a salary cap or other measures will be implemented, but it seems that the two sides will have a long fight over multiple issues.

The two sides are expected to have ongoing contentious talks, with neither side likely to come to an agreement anytime soon. But this new proposal could have major implications for how players can enter the league, and players like Freeman would be impacted.

Freeman came to MLB right out of high school, so these potential changes are close to him.

“I loved coming out of high school,” Freeman said. “It got me into the professional ranks. It got me into being able to develop into that organization and how they expect you to play. They believed in you at such a young age.”

The Atlanta Braves selected Freeman in the second round of the 2007 MLB Draft, and he worked his way through the organization. Despite the infielder signing a letter of intent to play for California State University Fullerton, he never ended up going to college.

His time in the minor leagues allowed him to be fully ready when he made his debut in 2010. Freeman has proceeded to turn into one of the better players in recent memory, making nine All-Star teams and winning one National League MVP award.

Freeman is living proof that high school players shouldn't be excluded from the draft process.

The veteran is in the midst of another strong year for Los Angeles, hitting .273 with 12 home runs and 40 runs batted in, while posting an OPS of .832.

The potential lockout won't happen until after the current season, so for now, Freeman will be focused on helping the Dodgers try to win a third straight title.

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