New MLB, Winter Ball Deal Opens Door For More Players To Participate

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Winter ball began Wednesday in the Mexican Pacific League, Dominican Winter League and Venezuela. Those leagues did so with a new agreement in place with MLB that should open the door for more affiliated players to participate.

Over the weekend, MLB, the MLBPA and the Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe (which includes the Dominican Republicâ€s LIDOM, Puerto Ricoâ€s LBPRC, Venezuelaâ€s LVBP and Mexicoâ€s Mexican Pacific League) agreed to extend the Winter League Agreement through the 2027 season. The extension runs until July 31, 2027, with provisions covering minor league players lasting through July 31, 2028.

The new agreement reduces the number of players MLB teams can prohibit from playing winter ball without citing an injury, and it tightens the criteria MLB teams can use to cite extreme fatigue as a reason for prohibiting a player from participating.

The agreement also adjusts the way disputes are handled between MLB and winter ball teams, and adds a new deadline for MLB teams to submit which players are prohibited from winter ball because of injuries, extreme fatigue or other exempt statuses.

“The four winter leagues expressed their satisfaction with the content of the new clauses and officially informed MLB, through the Caribbean Baseball Commissioner, Mr. Juan Francisco Puello Herrera, of their agreement to proceed with the corresponding administrative procedures,” the CBPDC said in a statement.

The agreements could make up to 60 more players per organization eligible to play winter ball.

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