While the MLB generates billions a year, one might think about how much do minor league baseball players make. And the answer is quite shocking as some of them earn low as $1,500 a month.
Some of the most fortunate players get the chance to play professional games at MLB, but those who are left behind go for minor league for a living as they do not have other options available. Even though most of the minor baseball league players earn from it, not all of them do. And in the past several minor league players have raised their voices against the reduction of their contract pay.
SO HOW MUCH DO MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS MAKE A YEAR?
According to stats, the MLB earned over $10 billion in 2018, where, on average, each MLB team is worth $17.8 billion, and obviously, players in these teams also earn millions. Still, the question arises here: how much do minor league baseball players make.
According to various sources and the data collected from some of the minor league players, the minimum amount a minor league player earns can range from $1,500 to $300,000, depending on the skill level and abilities of the player.
A minor league player, Mark Appel, twitted once, claiming that he earned $11,196 a year playing at the league; on the contrary, an analyst reported that the average salary of an MLB player is $44,680. Remember that fresher and class A players earn the least among their counterparts.
How much do minor league baseball players make in the AA category? Well, AA players earn a median salary that is slightly higher than class A players since these players have more potential to play at a professional level and are more skilled and talented than rookies. On average, these players earn $9,350/season.
How much do minor league baseball players make in the AAA category? AAA is another minor league players’ category where the average earning of a player is $15,000/season because they have the highest chances of playing at MLB compared to the former two minor league baseball players.
PERKS FOR MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS
Apart from learning how much do minor league baseball players make a year, you might ponder that there would be huge perks for these players since they cannot make a living with such a small amount. I suppose you might be wrong if you think this because they are not given any perks and benefits.
While on the road, minor league baseball players are given a Diem of $25, which is four times lower than MLB players’. Moreover, as part of the contract, they only get paid during the season, i.e., for 76 games, whereas, after that, they get nothing; on top of that, they spend their own money on purchasing equipment.
As there is no monetary support for minor league baseball players, they have to do other jobs during the off-season while focusing on their baseball skills simultaneously, making it a highly challenging task for them to qualify for MLB games.
WHY MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS ARE PAID LESSER SALARIES
Until now, you found the answer to “how much do minor league baseball players make.” This section will find out why these players are paid lower than average salaries.
Well, various factors stop minor baseball leagues from paying higher salaries to their player, including loopholes in the law and having no integration among minor league baseball players.
MLB is an organization that is given certain exemptions by the law that other organizations lack, which gives them the power to pay lower wages rated. The more shocking fact is that for more than five decades until now, the MLB has been under the anti-trust exemption, and it protects them against allegations such as monopolistic practices. These and so many other loopholes in the law give them the power to suppress minor league players.
Other laws such as “Save America’s Pastime Act” have benefitted MLB more than before because this act prevents minor league baseball players from getting protection under minimum wage rate laws. Moreover, these players do not have a “union” that would otherwise protect their minimum wage rate rights.
However, the MLB announced prior to last season that they would increase their wage rates by 38-72%, but at the same time, they would minimize the number of teams and players.