Can someone please explain how long a player is bound by contract to play if he signs out of high school?
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I cannot remember the exact number...but I believe that to keep your full bonus you need to play (if healthy) for 5 years. Less than that, I think you have to pay back a pro-rated portion of the bonus.
Same rule goes for college guys.
Others will probably have more concrete facts on this.
Same rule goes for college guys.
Others will probably have more concrete facts on this.
Here is a rough and simple overview:
The standard Milb contract binds the player, college or HS draftee/signee, to the team for 6 championship seasons.
So long as the player wants to play professional baseball, they play for the team holding their contract during those 6 seasons, unless they are taken in the Rule V draft, when eligible. If drafted as a Rule V, the player is then contracted to the new team for the balance of the 6 year period.
As justbaseball describes, should the player choose not to play during those 6 years, when his talent and ability is still wanted, he will end up facing the issue of repaying a pro-rated portion of the signing bonus unless other arrangements are agreed upon in the first contract. Many teams will no longer allow a player to walk away if they received a bonus of significance.
Finally, even though the player is contracted for 6 years, the team is not. Each year during the 6 years, the team retains the ability not to offer a contract. Those decisions are usually made around December and players are notified in January if they are being offered a contract for that Championship season.
This is the procedure, of course, if the player is not released at other points in the year.
If released during the 6 years, the player becomes a free agent and can negotiate with all teams.
Hope this is what you needed and helpful.
The standard Milb contract binds the player, college or HS draftee/signee, to the team for 6 championship seasons.
So long as the player wants to play professional baseball, they play for the team holding their contract during those 6 seasons, unless they are taken in the Rule V draft, when eligible. If drafted as a Rule V, the player is then contracted to the new team for the balance of the 6 year period.
As justbaseball describes, should the player choose not to play during those 6 years, when his talent and ability is still wanted, he will end up facing the issue of repaying a pro-rated portion of the signing bonus unless other arrangements are agreed upon in the first contract. Many teams will no longer allow a player to walk away if they received a bonus of significance.
Finally, even though the player is contracted for 6 years, the team is not. Each year during the 6 years, the team retains the ability not to offer a contract. Those decisions are usually made around December and players are notified in January if they are being offered a contract for that Championship season.
This is the procedure, of course, if the player is not released at other points in the year.
If released during the 6 years, the player becomes a free agent and can negotiate with all teams.
Hope this is what you needed and helpful.
If a player signed in 6/04 he is a free agent end of 2010 season. So its really 7 seasons.
I think its 6 "renewed"contact yrs
I think its 6 "renewed"contact yrs
njbb,
You are exactly right. I think we are saying similar things in a different way, but the Milb contract can cause that.
The Milb contract requires 6 full Championship seasons.
Anyone signing after the draft in June would not have that season qualify as a "full" Championship season since the MLB definition in the contract of a Championship season is April until the end of the MLB schedule.
The first full Championship season for a player drafted and signing from June 2004 would begin the following April and they are contractually bound for that 1st season and 5 more following that.
You are exactly right. I think we are saying similar things in a different way, but the Milb contract can cause that.
The Milb contract requires 6 full Championship seasons.
Anyone signing after the draft in June would not have that season qualify as a "full" Championship season since the MLB definition in the contract of a Championship season is April until the end of the MLB schedule.
The first full Championship season for a player drafted and signing from June 2004 would begin the following April and they are contractually bound for that 1st season and 5 more following that.
Indentured service.
7 years