Santo Domingo. – The Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation (CBPC) and Major League Baseball (MLB) agreed, by mutual consent, to a new extension of the Winter League Agreement (WLA) contract, which will remain in effect until July 31, 2027, except for the provisions relating to the participation of minor league players, which will be extended until July 31, 2028.
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MLB was notified on Saturday, October 11th by the CBPC that the four member leagues of the CBPC had approved the modifications and the immediate activation of the agreement’s protocols and regulations.
The CBPC recalled that “it is not a new signature, but the extension of the agreement, which adjusts a limited number of clauses by formally incorporating an appendix to the WLA.”
Once MLB and the Players Association (MLBPA) reached an internal consensus, the MLB Commissioner’s Office initiated the process of reviewing the new clauses with the four member leagues of the CBPC: Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM), Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League Roberto Clemente (LBPRC), Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP), and Mexican Pacific League (LAMP).
“The four winter leagues expressed their satisfaction with the content of the new clauses and officially communicated to MLB, through the Commissioner of Caribbean Baseball, lawyer Juan Francisco Puello Herrera, their agreement to proceed with the corresponding administrative procedures,” the communication indicates.
Among the benefits of the agreement, the MLBPA highlighted that job opportunities for MLB-affiliated players in winter leagues will be expanded, compared to previous years.
The new agreement came into effect immediately, once the CBPC formally communicated to MLB its acceptance of the adjustments contained in the appendix.
Main modifications of the agreement:8
- The WLA will be in effect until July 31, 2027, and the provisions relating to minor league players, until July 31, 2028.
- Reduction in the number of exceptions that MLB clubs can request for players without physical disability parameters.
- Minor adjustments to the dispute resolution system between MLB clubs and teams from the CBPC member winter leagues.
- Update of the deadline for MLB clubs to submit lists of native players with injured, physically disabled, extreme fatigue, or club-decision-exempt status.
- Review of the thresholds that determine when a player qualifies under the “extreme fatigue” category.
