Major League Baseball announced on Tuesday that it has extended the league-wide initiative of financial support for Minor League players through May 31 or until the beginning of the minor league season -- whichever occurs first. MLB is taking this additional step to continue assistance for Minor League players and their families during the unexpected postponement to the start of the season. All players will continue to receive medical benefits and may continue to use any balance they have in the College Scholarship Plan or Continuing Education Program.This follows MLB’s March 19 announcement that provided interim support to Minor League players through April 8, which covered the period until the originally scheduled start of the minor league season. 

The exceptions to this plan are players who are signed to Major League contracts; players who are already receiving housing, food or other services from clubs; and players on the Restricted, Voluntary Retired, Disqualified or Ineligible Lists. In addition, each club will make its own arrangements to provide support to players on Dominican Summer League rosters during the same period.

As a procedural matter, Major League Baseball has informed Minor League Baseball that Major League clubs are unable to supply their Minor League affiliates with players as a result of the national health emergency. All MLB clubs are now in the process of informing Minor League players of the suspension of their Uniform Player Contracts. Today’s announcement provides funds for impacted eligible players during the delay.

For the last two weeks, MLB has been engaged in a variety of discussions with stakeholders to identify ways to blunt the wide-ranging impact of the national emergency resulting from the global coronavirus pandemic. MLB has announced a joint $1 million MLB-MLBPA fund to speed food assistance to those impacted by the crisis and a 30-Club, $30 million effort to support ballpark workers. MLB partnered with Fanatics to manufacture masks and hospital gowns at the factory and from materials usually used to make MLB jerseys. The much-needed supplies will first be sent to support healthcare workers and emergency personnel in Pennsylvania, where the factory is located, with the intention of expanding. Individual Clubs will continue to announce more details surrounding support for their local communities, and players are coming together to urge fans to take this crisis seriously. 

We will continue to monitor ongoing events and undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts, and urge all baseball fans to follow suit. MLB extends its best wishes to all the individuals and communities who have been impacted by the coronavirus.