How Much Do Baseball Players Get Paid?
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Ever wonder how much baseball players get paid? We break down the salaries of MLB players by position, experience, and more.
Minimum Salary
According to MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, the minimum player salary for the 2019 season is $555,000. Players who have less than three years of service time in the majors, or who are on their first contract, are eligible for this salary. Players with more than three years of service time can make more than this amount through arbitration.
Major League
In order to be eligible for a spot on a Major League Baseball team, a player must first be placed on the 40-man roster. These are the players who are under contract with the organization and who are eligible to play in the Major Leagues. The minimum salary for these players is $555,000 per year, and the average salary is nearly $4 million per year.
Minor League
Most minor league baseball players earn very little money. In fact, the minimum salary for a player in the lowest level of the minors is just $3,500 per month. That said, there are a few players who do earn significantly more than the minimum. The top players in the minors can earn up to $20,000 per month, while the highest-paid players in Triple-A can earn up to $2,150 per week.
Average Salary
In 2019, the average salary for a Major League Baseball player was $4,097,502 according to Spotrac. This was a slight decrease from the previous year, when the average salary was $4,135,014. The decrease can be attributed to the fact that there were fewer free agents signed to big contracts this offseason. The average salary does not include players who are making the league minimum, which is $555,000 for 2019.
Major League
As of the 2019 Major League Baseball season, the average salary for a player is $4,097,122. However, this number can be somewhat misleading due to the fact that salaries range widely from league minimum to tens of millions of dollars per year. The median salary is $2,700,000, meaning half of all players make more than this amount and half make less.
At the high end of the pay scale are players like Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, who will earn a record $37.67 million in 2019. At the other end are players who are just breaking into the majors and are still on their rookie contracts. These players will earn the league minimum salary, which is $555,000 in 2019.
Minor League
The average minor league baseball player earned $6,000 in A-ball, $9,350 in AA and $15,688 in AAA in 2019, Minor League Baseball reported last year. Players at rookie and short-season levels earned an average of $4,380.
There are significant differences in pay at different levels of the minors. Major league organizations are required to pay their players a salary that covers all their expenses while they are on duty with the team. These salaries range from the major league minimum of $563,500 to the maximum of $ Surveys of players’ salaries vary somewhat, but according to The Athletic, the average major league salary was around $4 million as of 2017.
Not all minor league players are under contract with major league organizations, however. Salaries for players not on an MLB contract vary widely and can be as low as $1,100 per month.
Maximum Salary
In Major League Baseball, the maximmum amount of money that a player can be paid is governed by a collective bargaining agreement between the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and the MLB. The MLBPA is the union for all professional baseball players, and it negotiates salaries, among other things, on their behalf. The current agreement, which was signed in 2017, runs through the 2021 season.
Major League
In Major League Baseball, the average player salary for the 2018 season was $4.52 million, per Forbes. The median salary was $1.9 million. These numbers are just for base salaries and don’t include signing bonuses, performance bonuses, and other forms of additional compensation.
The highest-paid player in baseball for the 2018 season was Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano, who had a base salary of $24 million and earned an additional $6 million in bonuses for a total annual compensation of $30 million. The lowest-paid player in baseball was Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson, who had a base salary of $545,000.
The average MLB player salary has been on the rise in recent years. In 2012, the average player made $3.2 million per year. In 2013, it rose to $3.39 million. In 2014, it increased again to an average of $3.7 million per year. And in 2015, the average MLB player made $4 million per year.
Minor League
The minor league is subdivided into four classes: Triple-A, Double-A, Class A, and rookie. Players start out in rookie league and, if they show sufficient skills and talent, move up the ranks to Triple-A. The vast majority of players will never play at the Triple-A level; most will be “released” (i.e., told by their team that they no longer have a job) long before they get there. The average salary for a minor leaguer was $6,000 in 2002; salaries range from $850 per month for rookies to $2,150 per month for Triple-A players. Players typically live in dormitory-style housing arranged by the team, and they must pay their own way during spring training and the regular season.
Other Compensation
In addition to their salaries, players receive an array of perks and benefits. These can include signing bonuses, health insurance, and pension plans. Some players also receive housing allowances, meal money, and appearance fees.
Signing Bonuses
Signing bonuses are paid to new players or to players who are re-signing with their team. The bonus is given in addition to the player’s salary and is usually a one-time payment. For example, if a player signs a contract for $1 million per year, he may also receive a $500,000 signing bonus. Signing bonuses are paid out over the life of the contract and are typically spread out evenly.
Performance Bonuses
In addition to their salaries, many professional baseball players receive bonuses for their performance. These bonuses are typically based on statistical achievement, such as number of home runs hit or number of games won. Some players may also receive bonuses for being named to an All-Star team or winning a major award, such as the Cy Young Award.
