Major League Baseball will voluntarily recognize minor league players' efforts to unionize with the MLB Players Association, commissioner Rob Manfred announced Friday.
The move by MLB would formally accept the MLBPA as minor league players' bargaining representative and helps to fast track the unionization effort.
It's also a key step that will lead to collective bargaining for minor leaguers. The union and MLB are working on an agreement on whom the bargaining unit will consist of and they hope to accomplish that by next week.
The MLBPA launched the unionization drive Aug. 28 and told MLB on Tuesday it had obtained signed authorization cards from 5,000 to 6,500 players with minor league contracts, which exceeds the 50% threshold required to show a majority interest in unionization.