How Much (and How Long) All 30 MLB Teams Have Committed to Pay Their Minor Leaguers

As you may have heard, a wave of minor league roster cuts have descended on MLB this week, as big league organizations (who pay their salaries) face substantial revenue hits and even more financial uncertainty with the 2020 regular season still on the line. As you may have also heard, these decisions aren’t entirely atypical – teams make cuts like this before the regular season every year – but the volume is generally accepted as much greater than usual. The upcoming contraction of upwards of 40 minor league teams in the near future, as well as the expected loss of the entire 2020 minor league season played a role in these cuts, as well.

But even if you were among the players who’ve so far avoided unemployment, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll continue to be paid. MLB previously agreed to pay all players through this week, but as this deadline comes and goes, some teams are being more generous than others.

Listed below are all 30 MLB teams, with a link explaining how much and how long they’re promising to pay their Minor Leaguers at least $400 per week. This post was updated Friday, May 29th around 5:00pm, so please forgive any updates to the information below. Let’s go by division, starting with the National League.

Eight teams (Nationals, Pirates, Rockies, Yankees, Blue Jays, Indians, Tigers, and Angels) have not committed one way or the other yet, but I’m sure that news will drop shortly.

Before we jump in, note that some teams/reports have been purposefully vague on the amount they will pay their minor leaguers, even if they have revealed the duration of those payments. I’ve tried my best to get the most accurate information below, but changes are possible.

National League

East

•   Atlanta Braves – $400/week through June
•   Miami Marlins – $400/week through August
•   New York Mets – $400/week through June
•   Philadelphia Phillies – through June (amount TBD)
•   Washington Nationals –

Central

•   Chicago Cubs – through June (amount unclear)
•   Cincinnati Reds – $400/week through Sep. 7 (end of MiLB season)
•   Milwaukee Brewers – $400/week through June
•   Pittsburgh Pirates – $400/week through June
•   St. Louis Cardinals – $400/week through June

West

•   Arizona Diamondbacks – $400/week through June
•   Colorado Rockies
•   Los Angeles Dodgers – $400/week through June
•   San Diego Padres – $400/week through August
•   San Francisco Giants – $400/week through June

American League

East

•   Baltimore Orioles – $400/week through June
•   Boston Red Sox – $400/week through August
•   New York Yankees –
•   Tampa Bay Rays – $400/week through June
•   Toronto Blue Jays –

Central

•   Chicago White Sox – $400/week through June (includes players they cut)
•   Cleveland Indians –
•   Detroit Tigers –
•   Kansas City Royals – $400/week through August
•   Minnesota Twins – $400/week through August

West

•   Houston Astros – $400/week through August
•   Los Angeles Angels –
•   Oakland Athletics – suspending pay
•   Seattle Mariners – $400/week through “the season”
•   Texas Rangers – $400/week through June

Another way to look at this …

•   Unclear: Nationals, Pirates, Rockies, Yankees, Blue Jays, Indians, Tigers, and Angels
•   No pay from here on out: Athletics
•   Guaranteeing at least *some* pay through June: Braves, Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Orioles, Rays, White Sox, Rangers
•   Guaranteeing at least some pay through August/End of Season: Marlins, Reds, Padres, Red Sox, Royals, Twins, Astros, Mariners

The White Sox (who are paying even the 25 players they recently cut), plus the Mariners and Reds (all the way through the season) deserve a little extra love for going the extra mile. The Phillies are apparently planning to pay their minor leaguers through June, but the amount is expected to be less than $400/week. And the A’s are deserve the bad kind of shout out.

We’ll update this post as things change, but that’s the gist for now.

A note from Brett here at the end:

Losing these minor leaguers from baseball is about a lot more than just players in your organizational pool, as Royals GM Dayton Moore put perfectly:

Having more people truly invested in the sport is good for the sport. Critical for the sport. I actually think most players and executives do see this. I wish I felt more owners did.

written by

Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

more cubs news

CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury

Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

Latest News

Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

On Friday, Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (0-1) face Juan Soto and the New York Yankees (1-0), with first pitch scheduled for 8:10 PM ET at Minute Maid Park.Keep reading to find out all the details on how to...

Rays vs. Blue Jays: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0), led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., visit the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Tampa Bay square off against Toronto live.When...

CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury

Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

Heat vs. Trail Blazers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) are heavy underdogs (+14.5) as they attempt to break an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena. The matchup airs...

Cavaliers vs. 76ers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) take the court against the Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) as 7.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 210 points.Cavaliers vs. 76ers OddsCavaliers odds to win:...

Knicks vs. Spurs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The New York Knicks (44-28) are heavily favored (-10) to continue a three-game winning streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center. The contest airs on BSSW....

Wizards vs. Pistons Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are 2.5-point underdogs as they attempt to turn around an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Capital One Arena. The matchup airs at 7:00 PM ET...

Pacers vs. Lakers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) will attempt to extend a five-game winning streak when they hit the road to play the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as just 2.5-point underdogs. The game airs at...

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Western's top two teams, the Denver Nuggets (51-22) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22), hit the court at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The Nuggets are favored by 6.5 points at home....

Warriors vs. Hornets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Golden State Warriors (38-34) play the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The over/under is set at 218 in the matchup.Warriors vs. Hornets OddsWarriors odds to win:...

more cubs news