MLB Players Trust commits $1 million to help minor leaguers |
NEW YORK, June 17 — The Major League Baseball Players Trust on Wednesday announced it will commit $1 million to help support minor leaguers unable to play this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The world health crisis has put many professional sports leagues on hold, including the minor leagues, costing these young players a season to showcase their talents and causing serious economic hardship in many cases. “Major League Baseball Players are proud to support our fellow players in minor league baseball,” said Cardinals pitcher Andrew Miller, who serves as a Players Trust trustee. “These players have found themselves hit hard as a result of the pandemic and are unable to play the game we all love. The game is also their livelihood and there is no doubt the financial impact has been challenging. We hope to help them navigate these difficult times.” The Players Trust will pursue strategic partnerships with organizations that are already involved in providing needs-based support to young players throughout the minor leagues. A primary objective is serving players who have had their careers paused through no fault of their own and who now find themselves struggling. “Like most Major Leaguers, I came up through the minor leagues and understand the challenges that exist. Players recognize their collective responsibility to leave the game better than they found it so that the next generation is empowered to do the same for the players who will follow them,” Executive Director Tony Clark said. “Within the baseball community, minor leaguers have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic and many of them will lose a season they will never get back. We will continue to seek ways to support them.”
