question about minor league baseball salaries

[pirate44]

i have heard minor leaguers sign contracts that include a big signing bonus. but i heard their actual salaries for playing in the minors is peanuts. in Corpus Christi, after a home run is hit, they pass the hat where the donations will go to the guy who hit the home run. i dontate a dollar or two, but i was curious as to how bad these guys really need the money. Corpus Christi is a MLB affiliated double A team (i dont know if that matters). does anyone know how much these guys really make?

[3afan]

you are correct - I believe the only exception is a player who actually signed a major leage contract that gets sent down, he still gets paid what his contract says

[AggieJohn]

well actually i don't think that it's as bad as it sounds, I think, I think, the average minor league contract is around 45,000 or so....

[pirate44]

Originally posted by AggieJohn
well actually i don't think that it's as bad as it sounds, I think, I think, the average minor league contract is around 45,000 or so....
is that it?! and they make em play baseball for that money. outrageous:mad: :D

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by AggieJohn
well actually i don't think that it's as bad as it sounds, I think, I think, the average minor league contract is around 45,000 or so....
It depends on what level. The average A-leaguer makes far less than $20K, probably somewhere in the $16K-range. When you finally make it to Double-A, your salary gets bumped up into the $25K-range. It finally gets decent in AAA. I want to say the average AAA salary is probably in the $40K-$50K range. The AA level is where it starts to get serious, but they don't start making decent money until they can sniff the majors. There are probably some guys who play for the Hooks who don't even make $20K.

You do have some high-profile guys, high draft picks, etc who will make six digits in the minors, but they are VERY rare. Drew Henson and Chris Weinke were a couple of these guys. They signed huge signing bonuses and what they made in the minors wasn't all that bad. Hell, Weinke drove an Escalade while he was QBing for Florida State, living off government grants. But those guys are about as common as the $15 Mil boys in the majors.

[pirate44]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
It depends on what level. The average A-leaguer makes far less than $20K, probably somewhere in the $16K-range. When you finally make it to Double-A, your salary gets bumped up into the $25K-range. It finally gets decent in AAA. I want to say the average AAA salary is probably in the $40K-$50K range. The AA level is where it starts to get serious, but they don't start making decent money until they can sniff the majors. There are probably some guys who play for the Hooks who don't even make $20K.

You do have some high-profile guys, high draft picks, etc who will make six digits in the minors, but they are VERY rare. Drew Henson and Chris Weinke were a couple of these guys. They signed huge signing bonuses and what they made in the minors wasn't all that bad. Hell, Weinke drove an Escalade while he was QBing for Florida State, living off government grants. But those guys are about as common as the $15 Mil boys in the majors.
wow, now i feel bad for them. thats a tough salary to be living in Corpus. maybe they should live in Sinton and commute.

[AggieJohn]

Here is what they are as listed by the official minor leage baseball site http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com

First contract season: $850/month maximum. After that, open to negotiation
Alien Salary Rates: Different for aliens on visas--mandated by INS (Immigration).
Triple-A--First year: $2,150/month, after first year no less than $2,150/month
Class AA-First year: $1,500/month, after first year no less than $1,500/month
Class A (full season)--First year: $1,050/month, after first year no less than $1,050/month
Class A (short-season)--First year: $850/month, after first year no less than $850/month
Dominican & Venezuelan Summer Leagues--no lower than $300/month
Meal Money: $20 per day at all levels, while on the road

It's not much, but they also do receive complete health insurance, I believe.