A large cylindrical baler is equipped with a bale control device coupled to fixed forward side wall sections of the baling chamber and being selectively operated such that front and rear bale control members of the device are respectively located behind and forward of a space into which a completed bale may be discharged, with the rear bale control member engaging a discharged bale so as to halt the rolling inertia imparted to the bale during discharge, the front and rear bale control members thus cooperating for locating the bale at rest. Once the bale is at rest, the rear bale control member is moved to a bale-clearing position wherein the rear bale control member may move forwardly relative to the bale without coming into contact with the bale.