Jeff BassonESPNI read for 1 minute
Minor League Baseball players and Major League Baseball reached a tentative agreement on Wednesday in a collective bargaining agreement that will more than double wages for players, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN.
The five-year deal comes after a swift and successful effort by minor leaguers last year to unionize under the umbrella of the Major League Baseball Players Association and follows earlier gains on housing and wages.
According to sources, the raises are significant at every level and will be paid to players during spring training and the offseason, outside of a dead period between Thanksgiving and the Thursday before New Year’s Day. At each level, the increase will be:
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Triple-A: $17,500 to $35,800 per year
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Double-A: $13,800 to $30,250
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High-A: $11,000 to $27,300
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Single-A: $11,000 to $26,200
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Complex League: $4,800 to $19,800
The deal also includes a reduction in the maximum domestic roster that will reduce the number of players a team outside of Latin America can list from 180 to 165 starting in 2024. Campuses fought MLB’s efforts to reduce the reserve roster during last year’s lockout as part of its bargaining unit.