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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 usually on the top earners, but half of all players earn less than $1 million annually.

Update:
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Bobby Miller sits in the dugout
CAROLINE BREHMANEFE

Major League Baseball players are often considered 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 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 paychecks.

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 the 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 LukesTORCF$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 EnglertDETRP$720,000
Alex FaedoDETSP$720,000
Tyler HoltonDETRP$720,000
Andy IbanezDET2B$720,000
Freddy PachecoDETRP$720,000
Brandon WilliamsonCINSP$720,000
Zack ShortDET2B$720,000
Matt MervisCHC1B$720,000
Will VestDETRP$720,000
Garrett ActonOAKRP$720,000
Nick AllenOAKSS$720,000
Jared ShusterATLSP$720,000
Mike TauchmanCHCCF$720,000
Jonathan DavisMIACF$720,000
J.J. BledayOAKOF$720,000
Xavier EdwardsMIASS$720,000
Nic EnrightMIARP$720,000
Nelson VelazquezCHCCF$720,000
Lucas ErcegOAK3B$720,000
Garrett HampsonMIASS$720,000
Bryan HoeingMIARP$720,000
Shea LangeliersOAKC$720,000
Eury PerezMIASP$720,000
Richard LoveladyOAKRP$720,000
Adrian MartinezOAKRP$720,000
Luis MedinaOAKSP$720,000
Mason MillerOAKSP$720,000
Jose CaballeroSEASS$720,000
Easton McGeeSEASP$720,000
Ryan NodaOAK1B$720,000
Bryce MillerSEASP$720,000
Tayler SaucedoSEARP$720,000
Austin PruittOAKRP$720,000
Gabe SpeierSEARP$720,000
Esteury RuizOAKCF$720,000
Juan ThenSEARP$720,000
JP SearsOAKSP$720,000
Justin TopaSEARP$720,000
Freddy TarnokOAKSP$720,000
Ken WaldichukOAKSP$720,000
Stone GarrettWSHLF$720,000
Jake IrvinWSHSP$720,000
Andres MachadoWSHRP$720,000
Thad WardWSHRP$720,000
Brandon BielakHOUSP$720,000
J.P. FranceHOUSP$720,000
Corey JulksHOUCF$720,000
Cesar SalazarHOUC$720,000
J.B. BukauskasMILRP$720,000
Jake CousinsMILRP$720,000
Tres BarreraSTLC$720,000
Matthew LiberatoreSTLSP$720,000
Trevor MegillMILRP$720,000
Oscar MercadoSTLOF$720,000
Tyson MillerMILRP$720,000
Elvis PegueroMILRP$720,000
Kody ClemensPHI2B$720,000
Darin RufMIL1B$720,000
Dylan CoveyPHIRP$720,000
Juan YepezSTL3B$720,000
Brice TurangMILSS$720,000
Joey WiemerMILCF$720,000
Cristian PachePHICF$720,000
Noah SongPHIP$720,000
Jake BurgerCHW3B$720,000
Freddy FerminKCC$720,000
Maikel GarciaKCSS$720,000
Austin AdamsARIRP$720,000
Diego HernandezOFOF$720,000
Dominic FletcherARIOF$720,000
Mike MayersKCSP$720,000
Luis FriasARIRP$720,000
Clint FrazierCHWOF$720,000
Nick WittgrenKCRP$720,000
Brennan BernardinoBOSRP$720,000
Tommy HenryARISP$720,000
Adam HaseleyCHWLF$720,000
Oneil CruzPITSS$720,000
Jason DelayPITC$720,000
Anthony MisiewiczARIRP$720,000
Jarren DuranBOSCF$720,000
Jose HernandezPITRP$720,000
Brandon PfaadtARISP$720,000
Jose De LeonMINRP$720,000
Tucupita MarcanoPITSS$720,000
Justin GarzaBOSRP$720,000
Jhoan DuranMINRP/CL$720,000
Luiz OrtizPITSP$720,000
Gregory SantosCHWRP$720,000
Chris OwingsPITSS$720,000
Joshua PalaciosPITCF$720,000
Edouard JulienMIN2B$720,000
Yohan RamirezPITRP$720,000
Pablo ReyesBOSLF$720,000