Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that it has extended the league-wide initiative of financial support for minor-league players through May 31 or until the beginning of the minor league season -- whichever occurs first.
Players will receive $400 a week during that time, according to Jeff Passan, the same amount they made during the spring training shutdown.
All players will continue to receive medical benefits as well.
The league-wide initiative of financial support for Minor League players has been extended through May 31st. pic.twitter.com/oBKM5JCimC
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) March 31, 2020
The players who are exempt from this support are those who are already under a major-league contract, players who receive other aid -- like housing or food -- from other clubs and those on the restricted, voluntarily retired, disqualified or ineligible lists.
The MLB season has been delayed until at least May 9, though many are not expecting it to start until June or July. The MiLB season will likely follow suit.
The league announced an initiative to pay minor-leaguers on Mar. 19, which guaranteed players $400 a week through spring training. There was no guarantee for salary or health benefits after Apr. 8, though the league did say they were working on a plan.
The vast majority of minor-league players were sent home shortly after MLB suspended operations on Mar. 12 due to the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak.
The $400 a week salary is a flat rate, regardless of level. That means while some players in the upper-levels are receiving less than they would during a normal regular season, almost every lower-level player is getting a pay raise.
Pirates team president Travis Williams told DK Pittsburgh Sports last week that the team was looking into helping the club's minor-league players during the shutdown before the league stepped in and got every team involved.
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