Minor league baseball players will see huge pay hikes this year after agreeing to their first-ever collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday.
Working with the Major League Baseball Players Association after agreeing to unionize last year, the minor-leaguers must ratify the tentative agreement by Friday night in order for the new terms to be in place by the start of the season, according to The Athletic.
The collective-bargaining agreement, if finalized, would be in effect for five years.
The new minimum annual salaries at the minor league levels reportedly will jump from $17,500 to $35,800 in Triple-A, from $13,800 to $30,250 in Double-A, from $11,000 to $27,300 in high Class-A, from $11,000 to $26,200 in low Class-A and $4,800 to $19,800 in complex leagues.
Housing improvements for minor-leaguers also reportedly are built into the new pact.
Minor-leaguers previously sued MLB over below-minimum-wage salaries, and the sides reached a $185 million settlement last year. On Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero in San Francisco approved the settlement, which is expected to pay out $5,000-$5,500 per player.
–Field Level Media