How can you help MiLB Players?

By now you have heard that the Minor League Baseball season has been canceled due to Covid-19. Teams have slowly started letting it’s minor league players know if they will continue receiving a small payment every month or not. A few teams have stated they will continue to pay their players while others have given a date that they will stop paying their minor leaguers.

Most fans aren’t aware that when it comes to minor league players, they aren’t always paid during the offseason or even during training camp. Their pay during the season is minimal unless they are called up to the big leagues. An example of this was given by a Dodgers player last year that was called up and sent down multiple times. The player told reporters he received $3,000 a month when he was in the minor leagues but when he was called up he received $3,000 a day.

On social media, I have seen people commenting that MLB players who have large contracts wanting them to help the minor league players. While most players haven’t spoken up a few have. Like David Price of the Dodgers is paying $1,000 to each minor league player in the Dodgers organization for the month of June at least (no word yet of he will continue past June). The Washington Nationals have also partnered up with More Than Baseball to provide for the minor league players in their organization. All in all, it is great to see these types of things done even though it should be done by the owners of the team.

I thought though that I would put together a post of different ways to help the MILB community through this hard and struggling time.

1. Our Baseball Life is an organization that was put together by two baseball wives who have been through it all. It allows players families and significant others a place filled with resources and support through their career as needed.

OBL partnered with More Than Baseball to start a grant system that will help players and their families through the canceled season. They raised over $18,000.

2. Adopt A Minor Leaguer is a site that was started by a fan to make the lives more fulfilling for minor league players. It allows fans and supporters several options to help Minor Leaguer Players.

• Sponsor a Player: Depending on when you look into this, you may be able to request a team that you are a fan of and they will match you with a player. You are required to sign up to cover the player until the start of the next season. You are expecting to spend $100 to $150 per month. While this might be pricey, don’t be discouraged you can always partner with a friend or two to split the cost. I have recently partnered with a friend who adopted a player. The player we have is a really great guy and the experience so far has been wonderful and really rewarding

• Their Patreon page has packages that range from $5 to $50 per month. Each package has its own special items, chances at contests, and the money for them goes towards the players.

• Purchase an item from the sites store. Proceeds for the items will go directly to the cause.

• Shop and check the companies linked on their page. They are run by minor leaguers. Some have promo codes listed that can be used for their services or items.

• Donations can be made here for any amount you might be able to give.

3. More Than Baseball has been mentioned a few times already with their partnership with OBL and the Washington Nationals players. You can visit their site to donate directly to one of their funds or buy a shirt where all proceeds go to the players.

4. Tipping Pitches has designed two items on Teespring and the proceeds will be donated to the MTB fund for the players.

One final thing, don’t forget about your local minor league and frontier league teams. They need your help as much as the players. If you are unsure what to do to help them, try to reach out to them on social media or through their site somehow. If there is a way to help, they will hopefully be able to tell you.

When I reached out to the local frontier league team (Lake Erie Crushers) in my area and asked what I could do to help the team and their players during all this they reached back and told me to shop through the team store online via my shopify. So feel free to do the same and help them out!