Salary

Just hit it,
With my son being in his first year of minor league ball (short “A”) I’ll share what I know, which is not much. The salary for the first year player in the minors is $1,100.00 per month paid twice a month with clubhouse dues already deducted. It makes no difference what the signing bonus is the salary is the same. Players live wherever they choose. Some live in houses, some live with host families, and some share apartments. For the most part the first years players will live together....I think for the simple reason they would like to have someone as an ally as they venture into the “new” world of professional baseball. They do spend a lot of time on the road so they may not be “home” for a week at a time. During road trips they stay at motels/hotels paid for by the team and are given a meal allowance. My son lived with two other players with a host family. They ate out every meal and would do a lot of “home” things like showers and relax time at the clubhouse. They basically used the host family’s home as somewhere to sleep. The cost was nominal at $35.00 a week paid directly to the host family. The team provided names of host families that had previously agreed to house the players. The players would “check them out” and decide where they wanted to stay on their own.
Hope this helps,
Fungo

my son recieved the same salary, had to pay weekly club house dues. All the players stayed in a motel with two players to a room and each paid $500. per mo and had to eat most meals out. He was provided with $18. per day meal money for the away games.

Our son spent his first two pro seasons living with host families. The first one in Salem, Oregon charged $200 a month, which included all meals while he was "home" and transportation to and from the ballpark every night. His host Mom even made him a sack lunch every day in case he didn't like the food at the clubhouse. His second home in San Jose, CA didn't charge him anything, provided all his meals, and gave him a truck to use. The host Mom even did his laundry. He was spoiled!

During his 3rd and 4th seasons in Norwich, CT he shared an apt. with other players for about $300 a month each and ate meals out most of the time. On rare occasions they would cook out.

As far as I know, the salary is the same for all minor leaguers and increases slightly each year and each level. He did get a 3rd round bonus when he first signed, which he invested and has dipped into for professional training during the off season, shipping his truck, and other "things." I think he figured out that he earned about $15,000 last year and spent about $5000 out of his bonus...not including an engagement ring. He lived at home during the off season, where meals and rent were free ... but he did have to take out the trash and do his own laundry.

Good information to know, glad you all took some time to share experience. Do players get paid monthly salary during the off season?

no

justhitit,

The $1,100. per month (gross) is only paid during those month's that the player is actually playing. Some players use their bonus money to supplement their income during the off season while others will get part time jobs to make ends meet. Don't forget that bonus are not paid all at once but over 2 years and taxes are taken out of the bonus (32%).

vadad...Makes some GREAT POINTS!!!!

Minor leaguers ONLY GET PAID DURING THE 3 MONTHS OF THE SUMMER....Some can't find "jobs" anywhere from September to March/April because not many businesses can afford to have a player "leave" for spring training and then the season....Far more players don't make it than make it and therein lies another problem.

When does one decide when "enough is enough" with minor league ball going nowhere while others have started their careers having completed their college educations?

Most minor leaguers play from March through August.

As for when players decide to hang up the cleats, that's something each player has to decide for themselves. One of our son's teammates is in his late 20's and finally got "the call" 2 weeks ago. He had finished his degree, worked as a substitue teacher, played every off season in Mexico, and did anything he could to make it happen. When we watched him score the winning run on TV the other day I had tears in my eyes. I'm so glad he made it...and proved that hard work and perserverance do pay off sometimes.

The salary in the minor leagues for "most" of the players is very low, but if you hit .280-.300 every year or go 10-5 on the mound every year, you can end up making more money than you can count.The opportunity is there, and all you have to do is play well and success can happen.Once you have played a day in the big leagues, if you go back down to the minor leagues, you will jump to around $50,000 in salary for the minor league season. If TxMom's son has to play in the minor leagues next year, it will be for about $10,000 per month, which he can live on.

Beenthere and myself both played in the Minor Leagues, and we did not make it, but I get the feeling that I enjoyed the experience much more than he did. One thing is for sure.....if you never sign a contract and head off to the minor leagues for whatever salary, you will never be a big leaguer.

My father turned down a pro hockey contract in the 30's to go to college. He became an engineer and provided for us very well. When I got drafted out of HS, he asked me what I wanted to do.......I said I wanted to sign and he said go for it. He hated his job and spent his whole life wondering if he might have made it in the NHL and did not want me to feel the same way. He is dead now, but I love him for what he advised me to do, and today I have a great life and have the (for me) perfect job, and it is all because of pro baseball.

What a great story, bbscout!

The best advice I ever received was from my Grandpa who said, "Follow your passion, do your best, and let God take care of the rest."

TxMom and bbscout,

Very, very good posts. Thank you.

Thanks MN Mom.

I just want to add that our son's college roommate was drafted as a senior, finished his degree in the off season, and has played three seasons of pro ball. A few weeks ago he was accepted into medical school and has decided to retire from baseball. He wants to be an orthopedic surgeon. Another close buddy from AA has decided to hang up the cleats in order to attend seminary and pursue a career in youth ministry. Both are very excited about their new career paths, but wouldn't have missed the pro ball experience for anything. It's a big part of who they are and will impact their lives for years to come.

Each organization handles payment for "out of season" work differently. I had a son who was in the Braves organization. They were not paid a salary for Spring Training (tho they received travel money, were housed free of charge at a hotel, and were fed 3 meals a day at the field --lots of funny stories about the food quality!), and they received $6 a week for "laundry money." He went to Instructs and was paid enough in meal money to make it worth his while financially. Otherwise, they were paid salary (all organizations pay the same, depending on the level of ball and number of years of service)only when the official season began until the official season ended, with some bonus money if their minor league team goes into the post season.

Signing bonuses certainly take the sting out of the low wages, but during the season they are all treated the same -- the million dollar babies and the $1,000-signed-out-of-college guys.

As others have pointed out, you play for the love of the game, and each player must decide when it's time to let "real life" take you elsewhere. Mine wouldn't have given up his experience for all the salary in the world.

justhitit ...

quote:

How much is the monthly salary for a player at each level of minor league ball?

I don't think your question was completely answered, tho I must admit that I loved "bbscout's" answer and the story of his dad's support in pursuing his dreams. As I understand it (and I know my son is looking forward to it) the AA level salary is $1500 per month and AAA is $2100 per month. That is what was on a letter our son received last year with his contract papers.

He is with the Dbacks and they do NOT pay salary during spring training ... they receive $25 per diem if they are staying in the team hotel and $40 if they are living away from the hotel (reserved for married couples and players who have some time in the organization). Some of his teammates still lived away from the hotel because they were able to do quite well in an inexpensive apartment with the $25 per diem. He was invited to instrux this fall (first time the Dbacks have had instrux in 5 or 6 years) and tho I know he would not have been paid a salary, I am not sure what his per diem would have been. [Side note: he decided to NOT attend instrux as he is a starting pitcher and had already thrown 191+ innings since April, with several complete games under his belt. Tho he realizes he would have benefited from instrux and his arm felt fine, he was hesitant to push his arm any more this year and is resting it for a while.]

Just another baseball anecdote.

My dad signed with the Detroit Tigers in 1947 - didnt finish high school (was a junior in high school and came from a very very poor family - 11 kids).

I think his $ bonus was around $1500 - but here is the best part - the real bonus to him was 2 new suits.

I kid you not.
He negotiated 2 new suits in addition to his $ money. LOL

Great stories about minor league experiences!!!

My son's first off-season was spent straightening up and stocking the candle aisle at the local Walmart. When he went to them at the end of January to give them a 2 week notice (prior to departing early for spring training) his supervisor and co-workers did not even know he played pro baseball.

The next 2 off-seasons were spent working at the training center(gym) where he was everybody's "assistant"- locker room clean-up to pool maintainence to roof-repair to day-care sitter to....WHATEVER!

This off-season he is not planning to work part-time.... he will have more time to work on his craft and hopefully get better.

To illustrate the great potential to make increased $ once you get to the big leagues: Zach paid out more each month in clubhouse dues(home and on the road) at the MLB level than his gross monthly salary($850) was in rookie ball!

Players make some great sacrifices to be part of this game but the potential reward should be a great driving force for them to work hard at their chosen profession.

OPP

This is a classic thread and everyone who has participated should be commended for sharing such fabulous stories.

I would have to say my philosophy on life has changed over the years. Nobody believes more in a college education than I do. That said, my thinking is very similar to bbscout's Dad. I am allowing my son to "go for it" because he and I love the game so much.

I agree CD entirely. These are wonderful stories that demonstrate the passion for the game as it should be. While we all want to make a living, it is truly a priceless thing to be able to pursue your dream. It's not about the money to the kids that have been talked about here. My best wishes to all of these boys and to the parents that have helped them in their journey.

This has been a very informative thread, thanks all.
My daughter knows 3 ML players that have been playing for years, they do quite well. They know they will never make it to MLB, but look as their role as a career, for now. They are 29-30 years of age.
I might add, they all have college degrees.

OPP ...

Our son is working as an assistant to a physical therapist in the off-season and his bride is a substitute elementary education teacher who just got hired for a long term sub job that should take her to the end of Jan, right before they leave for spring training. The experience he is gaining in this job will give him something to ponder as a profession/career when he has to hang up his cleats ... presuming he doesn't stay affiliated with baseball somehow. And he said, for him, it sure beats retail and/or shop work.

Really great posts. I love the stories about Dads who encourage their kids to follow their dreams.

I was surprised at my husband, who has worked for the same employer since before our kids were born and plans to be there until retirement (he does have an interesting job that he enjoys) and has always been the dependable hard-working provider. When our boys started thinking about their futures in HS and both still talked about the dreams that they had been passionate about for years (one in music and one in baseball), he didn't tell them to grow up and get serious. He told them to work hard and chase those dreams as long as it took, and never end up sitting in an office staring at a wall, wondering "what if?". I love that guy.

Some of the saddest words and phrases in the English language are:

What if?
If only I had ...
I could of ...

We (his Mother and I) told our son to go for it all those Ivy covered buildings will still be there. He has the rest of his life to get a "job".

bbscout....I thoroughly enjoyed my 2 year experience playing professional baseball.

What I didn't like then (and I don't like now)was the minimal amount of money that the players in the short-season leagues get (yes, for 3 months) and fully 1/2 of them are left "hoping" to get invited to spring training the next year and when they do, they get "launched" when the new draft is over.

Kids all believe that they are the next Tom Seaver or Mickey Mantle or Barry Bonds, when, in reality, they are likely organizational players filling a roster spot.

I knew some guys that went to the big leagues and had nice careers, including Earl Williams who was the NL ROY in 1971. Roomed with him on road trips.

My son Paul played at Mississippi State ('91-93) and on the USA Junior Team (1990) and his teammates included Jay Powell; Scott Spiezio; Shawn Green; Brooks Keischnick...amongst others.

I love the game.

I just don't think that it is well-run as a business and you would see DRAMATIC CHANGES if they ever lost that anti-trust exemption.

I just believe that it is WRONG for a kid to have to depend on his parents for subsistence, at many minor league levels, while guys make $15 million a year at the top. A million of that would help an entire minor league organization make ends meet.

There is really very little money given to players in the lower stages of the draft, i.e., after the 10th round or so...except for an occasional kid that falls down a few slots because he couldn't get the deal done on draft day but then signs with another organization for decent money. Still...the bonus, if substantial, is usually spread over a few years.

BeenthereIL,
I agree 100%. Most if not all teams are penny wise and pound foolish in the way they approach developing players in the minors. They should pay decent salaries to players and allow them to spend full time on their game. They should get the best talent available for coaching staff and pay them legitimate salaries.

The best way to have a winning team at the major league levelis to have a strong minor league system sending developed talent up the ladder. Then decisions to pay for free agents could be done to fill specific needs and not at exorbitant prices that hamsting an organization for years to come.

For anyone that was in the minors but never made it:
Did you plan for it? Did you have a backup plan? Were you in college for the offseason?
Most importantly, what do you do now?

Hmmmm...Some "gremlin" must be following me around and erasing my postings.

bbscout...I thoroughly enjoyed my 2 years of playing minor league ball in the Braves organization; and, I number Earl Williams (NL Rookie of the Year in 1971) as a good friend, teammate and road roommate in the minors. My son, Paul, who played at Mississippi State and then in the Mets organization enjoyed his experiences, too. He was teammates with Jay Powell; Scott Spiezio; Shawn Green; Brooks Keischnick and others on the Junior Team and those 4 (among others) play/played in the big leagues, too.

I just happen to think that the minor league players are WOEFULLY underpaid. Nothing more and nothing less. $1,100.00 gross is nothing...even for a high school graduate. And, that is all the short-season guys get for June, July and August; and, then, you have to find a real job.

If you are "honest" with your employer, they might not hire you for the fall and winter so that you can live your dream and go back to spring training in March. Happened to me with the First National Bank of Chicago where I was a college graduate and a Trust Officer trainee.

Kids have to understand, that unless you are drafted in the top 10 rounds, you don't have enough MONEY for anything the first 2 years of minor league ball.

The players that get SCREWED the most by major league baseball are the Latin minor leaguers from the Dominican; Puerto Rico or Venezuela. They truly have no option, i.e., no education to fall back on and are resigned (as many of the kids from Venezuela were when I played...to going back to the tin shack on the side of mountain or some "slum"/barrio...or whatever they call it when they are 20-21 years old! Very few Latin minor leaguers even come from middle class families that can afford to support them in the minors.

Love the game and all the good that it stands for in preparing participants for "life". I just happen to think that so much more can be done for minor leaguers given the money that the owners make.

Been, times have changed for many of the Latin players. They are not in the draft and thus are signed as free agents. Many come to the US after having signed for pretty sizeable bonuses. Couple of my son's teammates signed for upwards of $200,000-$250,000 which goes much farther in their native country than in the US. Bonuses given this year include $600,000 and $710,000.
Little doubt though that most players involved in the draft who are drafted after the 10th round have to find a source of income outside of baseball to make ends meet.

infielddad ...

I agree that most who were drafted after the 10th have to find another source of income, but am sure a lot of those even in the top 5 rounds are working during the off season so they don't have to dip into the signing bonus $$.

Ours didn't sign for a whole lot compared to others, but he and his wife are trying to not tap into that money. Actually, they have become pretty creative. But then again, that might be why they are living so close to home these days ... at least 2 free meals a week (one with us, one with other parents), and free laundry facilities.

FBM, Good point. You also highlight a very different aspect of life in the minor leagues, the issues that can be confronted when a player is married.
Since every player is hoping to get the call for a promotion, decisions on living are much more complicated. One player this past season started without his wife and really struggled. Decided to move his wife to be with him. About three days after she arrives and moves into the apartment, he gets a call that he is being sent down, the very next morning. So now they are in two towns and paying for rent/living in two towns and wondering how long they should continue. Now that is very difficult! Not too unusual from what we learned talking with the players who are married. .

Beenthere, I agree that the pay scale of the kids in the minor leagues is low. I wish there was something that I could do about it, but there is not. When I signed in 1965 the salary was $500 a month and we got along just fine, but 39 years later and it had only moved to $850 per month which is poverty level. In 1965 the Rookies in the Big Leagues were only making $6500 for the year, or a little over a $1000 per month for the season. Today a Rookie makes $317,000 for the season plus the license money is about another $40,000.

quote:

One player this past season started without his wife and really struggled. Decided to move his wife to be with him. About three days after she arrives and moves into the apartment, he gets a call that he is being sent down, the very next morning. So now they are in two towns and paying for rent/living in two towns and wondering how long they should continue.

There is only so much one can do. At some point close to this I would probably rationalize God has another plan for me, like grad school.

infielddad amd Dad04 ...

quote:

About three days after she arrives and moves into the apartment, he gets a call that he is being sent down, the very next morning. So now they are in two towns and paying for rent/living in two towns and wondering how long they should continue. Now that is very difficult!

Son looked to be in a similar situation this past summer but actually went into his manager before his wife came back to midwest ... she was here finishing student teaching ... and flat out asked him if it was a good idea to have wife and dog drive there from Cali. Mgr suggested he might just want to have his wife fly back ... and it saved them a lot of hassles. But I guess the key, if a player is married ... pack lightly and drive a big pick-up

M A
Well, Jr. has the big pick-up. I guess all he needs now is an All-American season or two, a draft pick and a wife. He'll probably need to find his check book he lost a month ago first though.

God Bless your kids.

quote:

Actually, they have become pretty creative. But then again, that might be why they are living so close to home these days ... at least 2 free meals a week (one with us, one with other parents), and free laundry facilities.

Mom...Isn't it fun?

Thank God for moms and dads and their checkbooks.