NEW YORK — The rate of increase for Major League Baseball’s average salary slowed to 1.4% last year while setting a record average at $4,721,393, according to final figures from the players’ association.
The increase was the smallest since the average dropped in four straight seasons before 2022. The average rose 2.9% in 2024 to $4,655,366 after increases of 7.2% in 2023 and 14.8% in 2022, following a 99-day lockout that led to a five-year collective bargaining agreement.
After declining to $3.68 million in 2021, a year following the coronavirus pandemic-shortened season, MLB’s average has risen 28.3% in the first four seasons of the current labor deal, an annual average of 7.1%. The current agreement expires Dec. 1 and another lockout appears likely.
Union figures are based on the 2025 salaries, earned bonuses and prorated shares of signing bonuses for 1,046 players on Aug. 31 active rosters and injured lists, before active rosters expanded for the remainder of the season.
MLB has not yet finalized its 2025 average. Its figures differ slightly because of methodology.
The average each year is higher on opening day but declines during the season as higher-paid veterans are released and replaced by those with less service time.
Players with less than one year of major league service averaged $822,589, according to the union, and those with one to two years averaged $1,179,192.
Among players with two to three years who were eligible for salary arbitration, the average was $1,833,386 while those in that service class not eligible averaged $1,374,760. The top 22% of the class by service time is arbitration eligible.
Averages among others in the arbitration-eligible years were $3,273,039 for the three-years-plus group, $3,932,847 in the four-plus group and $8,019,748 in the five-plus group, a year of service time shy of free-agent eligibility.
The average rose to $9,649,380 for six-to-seven-year players and peaked at $22,034,231 for 11-to-12-year players before declining to $13,703,052 for the six players with 15 or more years of major league service.
