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MLB

Who is the lowest-paid player in the MLB? Is there a minimum salary?

When the media reports on MLB player salaries, the focus is on the top end. But half of the players in the Show are earning less than $1 million a year.

Update:
When the media reports on MLB player salaries, the focus is on the top end. But half of the players in the Show are earning less than $1 million a year.
JUSTIN BERLAFP

Major League Baseball players are often thought of as multi-millionaires, lottery winners in a way. And with the numbers thrown about in the media when discussing signings, it is easy to understand why. Most people on the planet simply can not comprehend of a salary that runs to hundreds of millions of dollars.

In an average person’s working life, they will earn something in the region of $2.7 million. That is between birth and the grave. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander will earn that same lifetime’s money in just 23 days.

But when the focus is on the top end of the board, the bottom often gets overlooked. While the top 50 highest-paid players get 30% of the money in the league, the average salary is $1.5 million, meaning that the bottom end is pretty heavy to balance out those big pay checks.

2023 minimum MLB salary

Despite the star players of each team earning millions, the very fact that the Collective Bargaining Agreement specifies a minimum salary should indicate that it is needed. In fact, there are 129 players this season who are earning the bare minimum, with five more earning just $100 per year above minimum, and another five just $100 more than that.

There are some bona fide stars in that group as well, with Oneill Cruz, Anthony Volpe, and Charlie Culberson amongst the players on the minimum. One of these players hovering near the league minimum is Josh Jung, the third baseman for the Texas Rangers, and without doubt the steal of the year at only $721,485.

The CBA lays out a schedule to raise the league minimum each year and this season it is set at $720,000.

While the highest-paid MLB athlete is currently split between two players, Scherzer and Verlander, the lowest-paid is a 45-way tie between those on the league minimum.

Here is a table with the lowest-paid players’ positions, teams, and earnings.

Lowest-paid MLB players

MLB PlayerTeamPositionAnnual earnings
Bobby MillerLADSP$720,000
Tayler ScottLADRP$720,000
Gavin StoneLADSP$720,000
Patrick BaileySFC$720,000
Tristan BeckSFRP$720,000
Greg AllenNYYOF$720,000
Bryce JohnsonSFCF$720,000
Jake BauersNYY1B$720,000
Heliot RamosSFOF$720,000
Blake SabolSFC$720,000
Jimmy CorderoNYYRP$720,000
Casey SchmittSF3B$720,000
Ian HamiltonNYYRP$720,000
Ryan WalkerSFRP$720,000
Alan BusenitzCINRP$720,000
Nick RamirezNYYRP$720,000
Brett WiselySF2B$720,000
Anthony VolpeNYYSS$720,000
Ryan WeberNYYRP$720,000
Fernando CruzCINRP$720,000
Kevin HergetCINRP$720,000
Casey LeguminaCINSP$720,000
Ernie ClementTOR2B$720,000
Ben LivelyCINSP$720,000
Nathan LukesTOR CF$720,000
Matt McLainCINSS$720,000
Nate PearsonTORRP$720,000
Henry RamosCINOF$720,000
Charlie CulbersonATL3B$720,000
Eduardo SalazarCINRP $720,000
Nick BurdiCHCRP$720,000
Bryce ElderATLSP$720,000
Reiver SanmartinCINRP$720,000
Jeremiah EstradaCHCRP$720,000
Spencer SteerCIN3B$720,000
Mason Englert DETRP$720,000
Alex Faedo DETSP$720,000
Tyler Holton DETRP $720,000
Andy Ibanez DET2B $720,000
Freddy Pacheco DETRP$720,000
Brandon Williamson CIN SP$720,000
Zack Short DET2B$720,000
Matt Mervis CHC1B$720,000
Will Vest DETRP$720,000
Garrett Acton OAK RP$720,000
Nick Allen OAKSS$720,000
Jared Shuster ATLSP$720,000
Mike Tauchman CHCCF$720,000
Jonathan Davis MIACF$720,000
J.J. Bleday OAKOF$720,000
Xavier Edwards MIASS $720,000
Nic Enright MIARP $720,000
Nelson Velazquez CHC CF$720,000
Lucas Erceg OAK3B $720,000
Garrett Hampson MIASS$720,000
Bryan Hoeing MIARP$720,000
Shea Langeliers OAKC$720,000
Eury Perez MIASP$720,000
Richard Lovelady OAKRP$720,000
Adrian Martinez OAKRP$720,000
Luis Medina OAKSP$720,000
Mason Miller OAKSP $720,000
Jose Caballero SEASS $720,000
Easton McGee SEA SP$720,000
Ryan Noda OAK1B$720,000
Bryce Miller SEASP$720,000
Tayler Saucedo SEARP$720,000
Austin Pruitt OAK RP$720,000
Gabe Speier SEA RP$720,000
Esteury Ruiz OAKCF$720,000
Juan Then SEARP$720,000
JP Sears OAKSP$720,000
Justin Topa SEARP$720,000
Freddy Tarnok OAKSP$720,000
Ken Waldichuk OAK SP $720,000
Stone Garrett WSH LF$720,000
Jake Irvin WSH SP$720,000
Andres Machado WSH RP$720,000
Thad Ward WSH RP$720,000
Brandon Bielak HOU SP$720,000
J.P. France HOUSP$720,000
Corey Julks HOUCF$720,000
Cesar Salazar HOUC$720,000
J.B. Bukauskas MIL RP$720,000
Jake Cousins MIL RP $720,000
Tres Barrera STL C$720,000
Matthew Liberatore STLSP$720,000
Trevor Megill MILRP$720,000
Oscar Mercado STLOF$720,000
Tyson Miller MILRP$720,000
Elvis Peguero MILRP$720,000
Kody Clemens PHI 2B$720,000
Darin Ruf MIL 1B$720,000
Dylan Covey PHI RP$720,000
Juan Yepez STL 3B$720,000
Brice Turang MIL SS$720,000
Joey Wiemer MIL CF$720,000
Cristian Pache PHI CF$720,000
Noah Song PHIP$720,000
Jake Burger CHW 3B$720,000
Freddy FerminKCC$720,000
Maikel Garcia KC SS$720,000
Austin Adams ARIRP$720,000
Diego Hernandez OFOF$720,000
Dominic Fletcher ARIOF$720,000
Mike Mayers KCSP$720,000
Luis Frias ARIRP $720,000
Clint Frazier CHWOF $720,000
Nick Wittgren KCRP$720,000
Brennan Bernardino BOSRP$720,000
Tommy Henry ARISP$720,000
Adam Haseley CHWLF$720,000
Oneil Cruz PITSS$720,000
Jason Delay PITC$720,000
Anthony Misiewicz ARIRP$720,000
Jarren Duran BOSCF$720,000
Jose Hernandez PITRP$720,000
Brandon Pfaadt ARISP$720,000
Jose De Leon MINRP$720,000
Tucupita Marcano PITSS$720,000
Justin Garza BOSRP$720,000
Jhoan Duran MINRP/CL$720,000
Luiz Ortiz PITSP$720,000
Gregory Santos CHWRP$720,000
Chris Owings PITSS$720,000
Joshua Palacios PITCF$720,000
Edouard Julien MIN2B $720,000
Yohan Ramirez PITRP$720,000
Pablo Reyes BOSLF$720,000
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