MLB Offers Assistance to Minor League Players Affected by Coronavirus

Minor League Baseball players will get some help from Major League Baseball as they deal with the coronavirus pandemic. It was recently announced the players from Minor League Baseball will get a “uniform compensation” package from Major League Baseball, which will cover “the period between now and the originally scheduled start of the minor league season.”

“The MLB is taking this initial step today because of the effects of the season’s postponement on Minor League players and their families,” the MLB said in a statement via CNBC. “MLB intends to continue working with all 30 Clubs to identify additional ways to support those players as a result of the delayed 2020 season.”

The MLB said players under the “Minor League uniform player” contract will get payment equal “to allowances that would have been paid through April 8.” The statement also said “players who are currently receiving housing, food or other services from Clubs; and players who were not participating in, or expected to participate in, Minor League Spring Training” and excluded from the package as well as players who are “non-40 man roster players who are already receiving Major League allowances. Minor League Players can make up to $500 per week during the course of a season.

“MLB takes the community impact of this crisis seriously,” the statement said. “We will continue to monitor ongoing events and undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts to protect fans, players and ballpark workers, and we urge all baseball fans to follow suit.”

Back in March, it was announced the start of the MLB season will be pushed back until mid-May. At that time, the statement said” Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. conducted a conference call with the 30 Clubs of Major League Baseball. Following last night’s newly updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) restricting events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks, the opening of the 2020 regular season will be pushed back in accordance with that guidance.”

This week, it was reported by the New York Post the MLB season will likely start without fans, and even if that happens, the season won’t likely start until June or July due to the growing number of coronavirus cases since February.