CBA Watch.
The rules as they are, the proposals as they’re reported, and the unknowns labeled unknown.
2022 MLB–MLBPA collective bargaining agreement
- 2022 season
- $230M
- 2023 season
- $233M
- 2024 season
- $237M
- 2025 season
- $241M
- 2026 season
- $244M
- 2027 season
- Not settled — subject to collective bargaining.
- 2022 season
- $700,000
- 2023 season
- $720,000
- 2024 season
- $740,000
- 2025 season
- $760,000
- 2026 season
- $780,000
- 2027 season
- Not settled — subject to collective bargaining.
- Active roster
- 26 players
- Active from Sep 1
- 28 players
- Reserve roster
- 40 players
- 2021–22 offseason
- $18,400,000
- 2022–23 offseason
- $19,650,000
- 2023–24 offseason
- $20,325,000
- 2024–25 offseason
- $21,050,000
- 2025–26 offseason
- $22,025,000
- 2026–27 offseason
- Not announced
Source: Spotrac — MLB qualifying offer →
Players reach free agency after six years of major league service time. The 2022 CBA also awards a full year of service to top Rookie of the Year finishers and draft-pick incentives for promoting top prospects. Players with sufficient service time but short of free agency have salaries resolved through salary arbitration; the 2022 CBA added a pre-arbitration bonus pool for eligible young players.
Sources: TSN — details of the new MLB CBA · Baseball America — details of the 2022–2026 CBA
What could change, and who said it.
- Current agreement expiresCurrent rule
The 2022 collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, 2026. Rules for the 2027 season and beyond — CBT thresholds, minimum salaries, roster limits — are not settled and are subject to collective bargaining.
Source: Dodger Blue — CBA expires Dec. 1, 2026 → - Salary cap and floorMLB proposal
MLB's owners have proposed a hard salary cap of $245.3M and a hard floor of $171.2M (both including benefits) beginning in 2027, per public reporting. This is a proposal only — it is not a governing rule, and no cap or floor exists under the current agreement.
Source: Sportsnet — CBA negotiation watch → - Union position on a capMLBPA position
The players' association is publicly and firmly opposed to a hard salary cap, which it views as limiting player earnings; it has not agreed to any cap or floor. This is a stated bargaining position, not a rule.
Source: Dodger Blue — CBA expires Dec. 1, 2026 → - Work-stoppage riskUnknown
Player leadership has publicly said it expects the league to lock players out when the agreement expires, which would freeze the 2026–27 offseason. Nothing is scheduled or agreed — the outcome of bargaining is unknown.
Source: The Minaret — MLBPA expects lockout following 2026 season →