MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark to Resign Amid Federal Investigation
TAMPA, Florida (AP) — Tony Clark will resign as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, a person familiar with the union’s deliberations told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the decision, first reported by ESPN, had not been publicly announced. An announcement was expected later Tuesday.
Clark’s decision comes during a federal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Brooklyn, New York, into One Team Partners, a licensing company founded by the union and the NFL Players Association.
The move occurs ahead of the expected start of collective bargaining in April for an agreement to replace the five-year labor contract that expires December 1. Management appears poised to propose a salary cap, which could potentially lead to a work stoppage and the cancellation of regular-season games for the first time since 1985.
Clark, 53, is a former All-Star first baseman who became the first player to lead the union.
He last played in 2008 and was a member of the union staff when Michael Weiner was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
He took over as the union’s executive director when Weiner died in late 2013 and led the players through negotiations that resulted in agreements in 2016 and 2022, the latter following a 99-day lockout.
Bruce Meyer, who served as Clark’s lead negotiator in 2021-22, was promoted to deputy executive director in the summer of 2022 and is slated to again lead negotiations.
The resignation follows a period of increasing scrutiny of the MLBPA’s financial dealings. In October 2025, ESPN reported on a federal investigation into Players Way, a youth baseball company founded by Clark, which had spent at least $3.9 million while generating limited revenue. Sources with knowledge of union finances reportedly told ESPN the amount invested in Players Way was closer to $10 million.
An anonymous whistleblower complaint filed in November triggered the criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s office, alleging self-dealing, misuse of resources, and abuse of power by Clark. The complaint also alleged that Players Way funds largely paid the six-figure salaries of its executives and consultants, including former major leaguers.
Internal strife within the MLBPA had also been reported, with some players expressing frustration with the union’s leadership. A March 2024 report by Forbes indicated that the internal conflict could weaken the union’s position heading into labor negotiations with team owners.
The timing of Clark’s expected resignation is particularly significant given the looming labor negotiations. The MLBPA’s first meeting with players this spring, scheduled for Tuesday at the Cleveland Guardians’ camp, was abruptly canceled, leaving the union without its top leader as it prepares for a potentially contentious bargaining process.
