MLB Plans to Raise Minimum Salary for Minor League Players in Long Overdue Move
By Brendan Balsamo
The unlivable wage Minor League baseball players have been paid has long been a controversy in the realm of Major League Baseball, despite the league being a multi-billion dollar industry.
But it seems a change to this is finally coming, as according to a memo sent from the commissioner's office that was obtained by the Associated Press, starting in 2021, the MLB is raising wages for minor leaguers.
BREAKING: MLB is raising the minimum salary for minor league players in 2021, according to a memo from the commissioner's office obtained by the AP. Story from Ben Walker and myself coming...
— Jake Seiner (@Jake_Seiner) February 14, 2020
According Jake Seiner of AP Sports, "Players at rookie and short-season levels will see their minimum weekly pay raised from $290 to $400, and players at Class A will go from $290 to $500. Double-A will jump from $350 to $600, and Triple-A from $502 to $700."
Although it isn't a lot, it's an improvement from where it once was.
It's obviously better, but you're still talking about players being vastly underpaid. Say you're in Class A and still don't get paid during offseason or spring training, $500/week for 21 weeks (the length of a minor league full season) = $10,500
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) February 14, 2020
In a league where players like Mike Trout are earning contracts of up to $430 million, the fact that some MiLB players, like those in Class A, will be earning fewer that $15,000 per year is still terrible. This is at least some good news in an offseason littered with horrible happenings.