On Thursday, March 19, Major League Baseball announced that Minor League players will be compensated from that point until April 8, which marks the start of the MiLB season. With that announcement, MLB also stated they would explore options for what the next step would be beyond that point. On Tuesday, MLB released what their next step will be and all of the players who are impacted by this down period finally got more clarification on what will happen next.
The league-wide initiative of financial support for Minor League players has been extended through May 31st. pic.twitter.com/oBKM5JCimC
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) March 31, 2020
According to the press release above, Minor League players will receive $400 a week through May 31, or the scheduled start of the MiLB season. The downside to this announcement, however, is that players who were set to play in the Dominican Summer League will not receive the weekly allowance, and teams will be responsible for making their own decisions on how they can support those players.
While $400 per week won’t necessarily fill pockets, it’s at least something. It also comes during a time when these players were expecting to be paid for their services during the 2020 season.
According to J.J. Cooper of Baseball America, the players in the low levels of the minors will actually receive higher pay than they do during the season. For those who’ve been in the minors for a while, the $400 amount will be much less than what they usually receive.
Regardless of the amount the players are receiving, it’s great to hear that they will continue to be supported in what has been a murky and unknown point in their careers. All of these players have been sent home where they are thinking about how they can support themselves. Now, they at least have clarity in knowing that they will receive support from their organization during these tough times.
This announcement came shortly after we learned that the 2020 MLB Draft could be as little as five rounds, with the potential to increase the amount of rounds if the MLB decides to. Chopping down the draft, paying signing bonuses in deferments, and capping the amount of money undrafted players can sign for is an effort being taken to save money, even though most of, if not all, of the organizations would be fine with business as usual, or close to it.
Amateur will be five rounds in 2020 but can be increased at MLB’s discretion, source tells The Athletic. MLB will decide date but draft will be held no later than late July. Also: Players get to sign off on scheduling.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 27, 2020
Even if it’s just $400 a week players receive, it still gives them the comfort in knowing that the organizations have their back. As I mentioned in my previous article on this topic, these players can’t file for unemployment because they are under contract, so this amount will help them out a bit and for some, it’s a raise.
Emily Waldon of The Athletic has been incredibly supportive of Minor League players throughout this process and even before. She has put forth efforts to raise money through various ways, and even has put together a job board for the players. If you know any Minor League player that is looking for work while they wait for baseball to resume, Emily would be a great person for them to get in contact with as she might be able to help.
To any minor league players who received news they were cut today, our job board is still accessible to you. If you need access, DM me. I know COVID-19 doesn’t make it easy, but we’ll do our best to provide assistance. You’re not being forgotten.
— Emily Waldon (@EmilyCWaldon) March 31, 2020
The 2020 season has been difficult for a lot of people so far. People have lost work, people have been unable to play the game they love, and a lot of people are unsure of how they can survive from now until the time when baseball resumes.
Although Minor League players are underpaid as whole, at least they now know that they haven’t been forgotten about and they will receive assistance. During times like now where good news isn’t something that comes around too often, the announcement today is something that should bring a smile to a lot of people’s faces.
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