With all of the minor league levels in baseball, it can be challenging to keep track of the players and understand what the average AAA salary players make.
Minor league baseball pay varies depending on the level a player is at, as well as their experience within the organization.
There was a new deal structured between the MLBPA and Major League Baseball prior to the start of the 2023 season that will pay players more money moving forward:
Details on pay increases in the minor leagues:
Complex league: From $4,800 per year to $19,800
Low-A: $11,000 to $26,200
High-A: $11,000 to $27,300
AA: $13,800 to $30,250
AAA: $17,500 to $35,800Players will be paid almost year-round, aside from a six-week break in the winter.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 30, 2023
The Domestic Reserve List, which governs the maximum number of players in an organization outside of Latin America, will be reduced starting in the 2024 season from 180 to 165. The league has sought a reduction in the reserve list since the major league negotiations last year.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 30, 2023
So how much is the average AAA salary for minor league baseball?
AAA baseball players recently got a pay bump, resulting in triple-A players making a minimum of $17,500 for an entire year prior to the 2023 season. This amount will increase to $35,800 in coming years once the deal between the MLB and MLBPA is finalized.
It is worth keeping in mind that this is the minimum salary player can make, and there are additional ways they can be compensated throughout the year.
Here are some ways players can make additional money outside of their AAA salary:
- When players are added to the 40-man roster, they get an automatic pay bump up to $46,000 a year.
- Players on their second contract get a bump up to $93,000 for being added to the 40-man roster.
- Minor league baseball contracts are also negotiable once a player has enough experience with a particular club. For instance, if a player is not good enough to be added to the 40-man roster and the team wants to keep them around, they can agree with the club for a fixed monthly salary.
- Minor league baseball pay is very secretive from club to club after the minimum levels. Teams don’t broadcast their pay structures publicly, and it is very complex once you start digging into it.
- Top prospects also receive huge signing bonuses, which help offset the low pay of the minor leagues. Here is the bonus per slot value that each player is assigned to get in the most recent draft.
How much do AA players make?
Double a players make a minimum of $3,450 per week or $13,800 in total salary for the six months of the season.
While this does not sound like much, many AA players received signing bonuses when they were drafted.
Unfortunately, for those that weren’t drafted high, it is a hard way to make a living as each player is responsible for their living expenses which leaves them with not much at the end of each month.
In recent years, much has been made about minor league pay as former Giants minor leaguer turned lawyer Garrett Broshuis has helped file a class action lawsuit for fair compensation for minor leaguers.
MLB teams have long cast a dark shadow on what minor leaguers are paid, and Broshuis has helped peel back the onion, and the Supreme Court approved the lawsuit to move forward.
Here is a good video from a former Minor and Major Leaguer breaking down the differences in pay between the different levels:
How much do single-A players make?
Single-A players make a minimum of $11,000 across a six-month season.
This amount can differ based on a minor league player’s contract with the big league club.
The minor leagues are meant to be transitional, with players moving throughout the minor leagues from A to AA or even up to AAA in one season, depending on the needs of the central league system.
There have been instances where players start before Single-A and move up to the Major leagues in the same season, which results in quite a pay increase!
The MLB minimum is $570,000 a year, which is quite a bump from $10,000.
Ways for Triple-A Players to Make Off-Season Money
As mentioned, the baseball season is only 6 months long so many triple and minor-league players have off-season jobs.
Here are some of the most popular:
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Coaching | Many minor league baseball players use their offseason to coach youth baseball teams or give private lessons. This allows them to share their knowledge of the game and make some extra money on the side. |
| Offseason Jobs | Some minor league baseball players take on part-time or seasonal jobs during the offseason to supplement their income. This can include anything from working at a retail store to delivering packages for a delivery service. |
| Winter Leagues | Some minor league baseball players play in winter leagues in countries like the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, or Mexico. These leagues offer a chance to continue playing baseball and make some extra money during the offseason. |
| Autograph Signings | Many minor league baseball players participate in autograph signings during the offseason. Fans can pay for autographs or photos with their favorite players, and players can make some extra money while building their fan base. |
| Personal Training | Some minor league baseball players use their offseason to offer personal training services to clients looking to get in shape or improve their athletic performance. This can include anything from strength training to agility drills. |
| Public Speaking | Some minor league baseball players are invited to speak at events or schools during the offseason. They can share their experiences as a professional athlete and offer motivational speeches to inspire others. |
In rookie ball and short season, players make $4800 a year in rookie ball.
This is a jump from $290 a week they used to make in previous years in short-season ball.
Most players in rookie ball get some signing bonus out of college or high school.
At the top of the draft, this could be millions of dollars down to a couple of thousand dollars at the bottom of the draft.
Additionally, players often get meal money for games on the road and provide a team spread of food after games.
What percentage of AAA plates make it to the majors?
Only 10% of minor leaguers end up making the major leagues. The percentage is likely higher for AAA salary players as many players get a chance at the big companies at some point in their careers.
AAA baseball may not have the best prospects of MLB teams as teams often play their top prospects in AA and sometimes move them directly to the major leagues from AA.
There are no rules in place that players have to play in AAA before going to the big leagues, and the Major League team can move their players up to the Big Leagues from any of their minor league affiliates.
How many minor league teams are there?
Most people do not realize that there are five minor league levels and only think there are AAA, AA, and single-A.
There is also a league called Low-A Ball and two levels of rookie ball.
There was a level called Short Season-A that was around from 1965 to 2000, which was recently eliminated as part of the reorganization that took place before the 2021 season.
What is the average age of a AAA player?
The age range of most AAA players is between 23-26 years old. Baseball players are drafted out of high school or college, and there is a lot of pressure to move them through the minor league systems quickly or move on from them.
Most of that time pressure stems from how challenging the Major League levels are, and if players are not advancing fast through the minor leagues, the odds that they will be successful at the significant league level is very rare.
Teams sometimes give up on players early and release minor leaguers or trade them to other groups for big-league assets.
If you look into major league players’ biographies, many of them played for other organizations early in their careers.
One example is Francisco Liriano, who many identify as a Minnesota Twin.
Still, he was initially signed by the Giants and traded back in 2003 to the Twins when he was a minor leaguer.
Is AA baseball better than AAA?
AA baseball often has some of the best prospects in the game, while AAA players are occasional former big-league players waiting for another shot.
Teams like to play their top prospects in AA and will often call them up to the big leagues from AA directly skipping right over AAA, where there are sometimes more experienced players.
There is a term in baseball known as an AAAA player, which means that they are good enough to be a AAA player, but not quite good enough to be a Major League player, but they could be valuable players for the organization.
How much is a AAA baseball team worth?
According to a study done by Forbes, some AAA teams are worth over $30 million.
AAA baseball teams are often in smaller cities that draw in many fans every year.
They are owned by the affiliate major league club or sometimes owned by an investor.
The valuations of minor league teams have grown in recent years as teams incorporate new monetization strategies like TV and media deals.
Despite how much minor league teams are worth, there is still much debate about how poor the pay conditions are for minor league players that barely live above the poverty line.
Do Triple-A players have other jobs?
In the offseason, many triple-A baseball players have other part-time jobs to bring in additional income, but working a full-time job is nearly impossible due to the training and grueling schedule of AAA baseball.
One of the most popular part-time jobs for AAA baseball players is giving baseball lessons back in their hometowns.
As baseball has become more of a year-round sport thanks to travel baseball, there is a ton of demand for baseball lessons from professional baseball players and giving lessons is a great way to make supplemental income for players that only have a few months off every year.
How many innings does AAA baseball play?
AAA baseball follows the MLB inning rules, which are nine innings.
However, occasionally AAA teams may play a doubleheader if there is a rainout in which games may be shortened to 7 innings.
AAA games are very family-friendly as teams do a great job of incorporating entertainment during the games that they can’t do at packed MLB stadiums.
What is a AAA player?
An AAA player is a minor league affiliated with a Major league organization.
AAA is the highest level in the minor leagues, and the style of play is very competitive.
Although the best prospects may not be in AAA, there are generally many former major-league players on AAA rosters on any given night.
What is the minor league pay range?
The minor league pay ranges from $400 weekly at the low levels of the minor leagues to around $700 at the AAA level.
Most minor leaguers live paycheck to paycheck since they use their low salaries to pay for housing and food costs.
Most teams provide meal money to help with some daily eating expenses, but eating healthy with such a limited budget is challenging.
What does AAA E Mean?
Triple-A E means the “East Division” within triple-A baseball. The official name for the East Division is the International League, and the West Division is known as the Pacific Coast League.
Minor league players in these leagues make the same average salary, and they are all considered triple players.
Most of these teams are relatively close geographically to their major league teams, so if a baseball player gets injured on their major league baseball team, a replacement player would be only a short flight or drive away.
Final Word
Minor league baseball is a bit of a mystery to most people. There is much confusion over how many teams there are, what the different levels mean, and how much they get paid, especially the AAA salary, as players can move up and down the system throughout the year.
The main goal is to make it to major league baseball and secure a high-paying MLB contract, but all players have to spend their time in the minors to perfect their game.
Why the average player will never make it to major league baseball, hundreds of great minor league baseball players live the dream and worth the watch and play in small towns throughout the country.
The best resource for minor league baseball is MILB.com, as they have a full roster of teams by city with a ton of information on the FAQ page.
If you happen to see one near your area, go check them out as they are much more fun to attend than you think!
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