Reports: MLB, MLBPA Reach Agreement on International Draft, CBA Talks to Resume Thursday

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached an agreement on a proposed international draft by the league, which became a major issue that stood in the way of a new collective bargaining agreement during Wednesday's negotiations.

According to multiple reports, the two sides agreed Thursday that they have until July 25 to reach a deal on an international draft that would start in 2024. If a deal is reached, the qualifying offer system would be removed. If no deal is made, both the international and qualifying offer system return to the status quo.

ESPN reported first on the agreement between MLB and the MLBPA.

The league and union seemed to be making significant progress on several core economic issues throughout negotiations on Tuesday and Wednesday. When MLB tied the removal of the qualifying offer system to the implementation of an international draft in its proposal, it became a major hurdle in the way of a new CBA. In turn, MLB offered three options to the MLBPA for how to settle the issue, even after the union had already submitted a full counterproposal to the league.

The MLBPA rejected the three options from MLB, but responded with their own counter, which was a combination of the proposed options by the league: Examine the international draft until Nov. 15, and if no deal is made, the qualifying offer system returns the following offseason. According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, this idea was initially proposed by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday night.

MLB initially rejected this proposal because it was submitted after the league's 5:00 p.m. deadline. Manfred then canceled the second week of the regular season. However, both parties continued discussions on the international draft issue Wednesday night in hopes that a 162-game season could be salvaged with a new agreement on Thursday.

With the international draft issue out of the way, MLB plans to make a formal counterproposal to the MLBPA Thursday, a source confirms with InsideTheRangers.com.

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