The financial challenges Minor Leaguer baseball players face have been in the spotlight this year more so than in the past due their 2020 regular season not yet beginning because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
During the early stages of the shutdown, the Los Angeles Dodgers committed to paying Minor League players their Spring Training stipends and allowances at least through April 8, which was the originally scheduled Opening Day.
All players continued to receive medical benefits and may continue to use any balance they have in the College Scholarship Plan or Continuing Education Program.
Major League Baseball later announced the extension of financial support for Minor League players through May 31 or until the beginning of the 2020 MiLB season — whichever occurred first.
The Dodgers then extended pay for Minor Leaguers into June, and David Price personally provided $1,000 to each player who is not on the 40-man roster. Despite the organization’s ongoing efforts, the Dodgers released an undisclosed number of Minor Leaguers, per baseball insider Francys Romero:
Los Angeles Dodgers have released several players from their Minor League system in the past few hours, multiple sources told me. The number and names of the players are not yet known.
— Francys Romero (@FrancysRomero10) June 22, 2020
The roster cuts may be nothing more than typical transactions that occur during this stage of a Minor League season. Players often have various clauses in their respective contracts that allow them to opt out if there’s not much of a sense for opportunity moving forward.
Although an announcement has not yet been made, the expectation is the 2020 Minor League season will be cancelled in its entirety. The Dodgers presumably will include some of their top prospects on the taxi squad, and also look to send a group what’s likely to be an expanded Arizona Fall League.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in our shows, and more!
