MLB’s minimum salary will increase in 2015 from $500,000 to $507,500, according to Michael Baron.
#MLB minimum salary will rise from $500k to $507,500 in 2015. They call that a cost of living adjustment.
— Michael Baron (@michaelgbaron) November 26, 2014
As Baron notes, the difference represents a cost of living adjustment. The latest Collective Bargaining agreement had the minimum at $480,000 in 2012 (going up from $414,000 the year before), $490,000 in 2013, $500,000 in 2014, and cost of living adjustments in 2015 and 2016.
I’ve updated the 2015 payroll page with the projected results. The change doesn’t make a huge difference. It takes the estimated payroll from $71.58 M to $71.62 M, representing less than a $100,000 increase.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
So, the agreement is up after 2016? I look forward to a good old fashioned labor war.
At SOME point in time, the owners have to win one. If they set a minimum salary at $250K and a maximum at $1 million, and then passed all that savings on by cutting ticket prices tremendously, baseball would be so popular it wouldn’t know what to do with itself. It’s not like guys who play baseball for a living are so in demand elsewhere, something the owners of the past knew all too well.
But that’s a fantasy for another day. If they ever do finally get a salary cap for baseball, no more excuses for anyone.
How do they expect people to live on 500k a year… This was long overdue
Gotta love fans complaining about how overpaid players are, and then going to 30 games a year and buying a good deal of merchandise. You pay the salary.
Im willing to give most players a pass since they have about 10-15 years to earn what they can and then be thrust into retirement or enter an entirely different job market. If demand is enough that they can earn it, good for them.
Considering the Pirates missed on Jose Abreu last year it stings that the D-backs inked Yasmany Tomas for the same dollars. I could see them being out at $80-$100 mil, but at $10 mil per season at his age and with 70 graded power bat they seem to have tripped again. Another missed opportunity NH.
The Pirates already have a couple prospects with lots of power and questionable other tools. There’s no good reason to go out and spend $10 mil to get another one.
The Pirates paid Jason Kendall 10 mil a yr like what 14 yrs ago? 11.4 m a yr for Tomas is chump change by any team, including the small market team like the Muscrat hollow pirates. They Could’ve then traded pedro for a starting pitcher.
“11.4 m a yr for Tomas is chump change by any team”.
And yet, only one team valued him at that price. Your argument fails on its own merits.
So if they can afford it, it makes it a smart thing to do? I can afford to throw $100 off the Liberty Bridge; doesn’t mean it’s a good investment.
Tomas is not Abreu. There’s serious questions about how good he’s gonna be– more so than Abreu. The Pirates have a couple guys (Allie, Ramirez, Lambo, probably some I’m forgetting) that are probably not too far off from the risk/upside spectrum as Tomas. So I fail to see the reason for paying him $10mil plus.
Trading Alvarez for a starting pitcher? Not a bad idea, but it’s something you wanna do when his value is high; not after one of his worst seasons as a pro.
Those guys you mentioned are far inferior to Tomas. He’s also better than Abreu. He’s 24 yr and has played with men for many years. i would’ve tried to sign Abreu and Tomas.
That’s not what the scouting reports say about Tomas. The guy’s got good power, but there are serious questions about his plate discipline, defense, and other things. Where would he even play on the Pirates? He’s an OF by trade and our outfield is pretty full.
“I would’ve tried to sign Abreu and Tomas.” Yeah, every Monday-morning QB knows just what shoulda been done.
Are you assuming Tomas would play 1B? Because I don’t see much of a place for him in LF or RF with Marte and Polanco under control for quite some time.
SB: Excellent point. The Pirates have Starling Marte signed for 5 more years for around $31 mil, and then have two more Team Option years beyond that at $11.5 mil and then $12.5 mil. And Gregory Polanco will begin his first year of MLB Service Time in 2015 meaning even without a long term contract, he is here for at least 6 years (3 of which will be at the minimum).
Before the annual Headley conversation begins – it is that Headley time of the year – Josh Harrison was a 4.9 WAR guy last year while playing primarily at 3B, but also playing SS, 2B, LF, and RF. He begins his Arbitration years this year, and may get $3 mil, so I think that we can do without paying Chase Headley $17 mil a year for 4 or 5 years.
Although ur comment comes across as douche baggy I’ve wondered why we can never ink a cuban not named yoslan herra you’d think NH and crew would be in it especially if the yanks Sox n so on aren’t bidding
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COLAs also apply to minor leaguers who’ve had a major league contract. I believe it also affects the meals/tip per diem.
If one is interested in reading a 331 page document, the Collective Bargaining Agreement is downloadable. I’ve never read the entire thing, but have read the sections on payroll… it’s astounding what perks players get – even the bottom-rung guys – although the moving allowance kinda sucks.
Whew I’m glad!!! They need to be able to pay their bills!!!!!
don’t worry ..they can afford that and another 50 or so million……at this time..
I’m pretty sure if the major league minimum salary increased another 50 million or so we would basically be out of baseball teams. 25×50 million is 1.25 billion. The reports are the Yankees can break even at 500 million so they’d be losing 750 million a year and it would presumably be worse for everyone else.