I believe MLB has something along the lines of a "restricted" list which makes it impossible for another team to just step in and sign a player who refuses to report to a new team in a trade.
If said player doesn't report and if the 'holdout' goes long enough, the commissioner can step in and assign another player to complete the trade.
It happened to the Sox once before the 1970 season if memory serves. That's how they got Jerry "Wheat Germ Kid" Janeski.
Lip
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