Major League Baseball just announced that it will provide a stipend to all minor league players through at least May 31. Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that it will be $400 a week. They’ll receive medical benefits as well.
Two weeks ago MLB announced an interim assistance plan under which each player who is under a minor league uniform player contract would receive a lump sum equal to the allowances that they would have received through April 8th. Until April 8 minor leaguers would not have been paid anything beyond those allowances. This new plan, presumably, picks up after April 8 and covers the period when, otherwise, games would be played and salaries would be paid.
There are exceptions to this plan. Players who are signed to major league contracts, players who are already receiving housing, food or other services from clubs, and players on the restricted, voluntary retired, disqualified or ineligible lists will not get checks. In addition, each club will make its own arrangements to provide support to players on Dominican Summer League rosters during the same period.
The announcement notes that this is not minor league player salary under their contracts. Rather, due to the national emergency, all minor league player contracts are suspended, just as big league contracts are suspended, making these payments gratuitous, legally speaking.
