MLBPA Leadership Shake-Up: Key Players Ousted from Executive Subcommittee

In a significant shift within the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), several prominent players who challenged the union's leadership earlier this year are no longer part of its executive subcommittee. The voting results, announced on Wednesday, mark the end of their tenure on the influential committee.

Among those not returning are free agent Jack Flaherty, Lucas Giolito of the Boston Red Sox, and Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs. These players, along with former MLBPA lawyer Harry Marino, had pressed executive director Tony Clark to remove deputy director Bruce Meyer in a dramatic but short-lived mutiny.

New members joining the executive subcommittee include Chris Bassitt (Toronto Blue Jays), Jake Cronenworth (San Diego Padres), Pete Fairbanks (Tampa Bay Rays), Cedric Mullins (Baltimore Orioles), Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh Pirates), and Tarik Skubal (Detroit Tigers). The elections took place at the annual meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Marcus Semien (Texas Rangers) and Brent Suter (Cincinnati Reds) are the only holdovers from the previous subcommittee, with Semien being the sole remaining member from the 2021-22 lockout period.

The executive subcommittee plays a crucial role in working closely with senior union staff and influencing major player decisions. When the union decides on matters like accepting a new collective bargaining agreement, 38 major leaguers vote — the eight subcommittee members and 30 representatives from each team.

Players on a major-league roster as of Tuesday or who had been on a roster at the end of the 2024 season were eligible to be elected. Subcommittee terms last for two years, with the next election likely coinciding with the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement at midnight on December 2, 2026.

Departing members include Francisco Lindor (New York Mets), Lance McCullers Jr. (Houston Astros), and Austin Slater (Chicago White Sox). The departures follow the earlier exits of Flaherty, Giolito, and Happ from the group.

Notably, agent Scott Boras has two players in the new subcommittee — Semien and Skubal. In the past, rival agents have criticized the union for being deferential to Boras, a claim the union leadership has consistently denied.

Each role on the executive subcommittee carries a distinct title. Semien and Bassitt are Association reps, Cronenworth and Skenes are alternate Association reps, Suter and Fairbanks are pension reps, and Mullins and Skubal are pension alternates.

​As the MLBPA navigates this leadership transition, the new subcommittee members will be tasked with steering the union through upcoming challenges and ensuring that players' voices are heard in critical decision-making processes.