The amount of money professional baseball players make varies greatly depending on a variety of factors. The salaries of the players can range from the millions to the tens of thousands. While the average pay for a Major League Baseball (MLB) player is just over $4 million, the salaries of some of the top players can reach upwards of $30 million.
Average Major League Baseball Salary
The average Major League Baseball salary for the 2020 season was $4,097,122. This figure is up slightly from the 2019 season when the average salary was $4,095,680. The increase in the average salary is due to a few factors. The minimum salary for a player in 2020 was $563,500, which is a significant increase from the 2019 minimum salary of $555,000. In addition, the MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) states that each team must spend at least $208 million on player salaries in 2020. This was the first time the MLB has ever had a salary cap.
The highest paid players in the MLB in 2020 were Mike Trout, Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and Max Scherzer. Mike Trout was the highest paid player in the league with a total salary of $37.7 million. Gerrit Cole was the second highest paid player with a salary of $36 million. Stephen Strasburg was the third highest paid player with a salary of $35 million, and Max Scherzer was the fourth highest paid player with a salary of $33 million.
Salaries in Minor League Baseball
In contrast to the salaries of players in the MLB, the salaries of players in the minor leagues are much lower. Minor league players typically receive a salary between $1,000 and $2,150 per month, depending on the level at which they are playing. The salaries of minor league players are often supplemented by meal and housing allowances, as well as signing bonuses.
Minor league players who play in the affiliated minor leagues of the MLB, such as the Triple-A, Double-A, and Single-A leagues, are not covered by the MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and are not eligible for the higher salaries that are paid to players in the MLB. The average salary for a minor league player in the affiliated minor leagues is around $2,150 per month.
In addition to the affiliated minor leagues, there are also independent minor leagues which are not affiliated with the MLB. The salaries of players in the independent minor leagues are typically much lower than those in the affiliated leagues and can range from as little as $800 per month up to $2,000 per month.
Salaries of Baseball Coaches and Managers
The salaries of baseball coaches and managers also vary greatly depending on the level of play. The salaries of coaches and managers in the MLB range from a few hundred thousand dollars to millions of dollars per year.
The average salary for a MLB manager in 2020 was $1.39 million. The highest paid manager in the MLB in 2020 was Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who earned a total salary of $4 million. The average salary for a MLB coach in 2020 was $360,000. The highest paid coach in the MLB in 2020 was Don Mattingly of the Miami Marlins, who earned a total salary of $2 million.
The salaries of coaches and managers in the minor leagues are typically much lower than those in the MLB. The average salary for a minor league manager in 2020 was $71,000, and the average salary for a minor league coach was $50,000.
Conclusion
Overall, the salaries of professional baseball players can vary greatly depending on the level of play and the individual player’s performance. MLB players typically earn the highest salaries, followed by players in the affiliated minor leagues, and then players in the independent minor leagues. Baseball coaches and managers typically earn the least, with MLB managers and coaches earning the highest salaries.