How To Become a Professional Baseball Player: Step-by-Step Guide
Learn about the steps important to pursuing a career as a professional baseball player, including education, skills, salary and more.
Becoming a professional baseball player is the dream of many young athletes. While the odds of making it to the Major Leagues are slim, it is still possible to achieve this goal with hard work and dedication. There are a few steps you can take to increase your chances of becoming a professional baseball player. In this article, we will discuss what you need to do to become a professional baseball player.
What Does a Professional Baseball Player Do?
Professional baseball players typically play in the minor leagues before being called up to a major league team. They may also be traded between teams during their career. The duties of a professional baseball player include:
- Playing baseball games according to the rules of the game
- Hitting the ball with a bat and running around the bases
- Catching the ball when it is hit by the batter
- Throwing the ball to another player to get them out
- Wearing the proper equipment, including a batting helmet, gloves and cleats
- Following the directions of the manager and coaches
- Practicing regularly to improve skills
- Maintaining fitness and stamina levels
- Studying game film to learn about opposing players
Professional Baseball Player Salary and Job Outlook
The average salary for a professional baseball player is $50,985. However, this figure can vary greatly depending on the player’s experience, position, and team.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of people employed as professional baseball players will grow much faster than average over the next decade. This is due in part to the increasing popularity of the sport. As more people become interested in baseball, there will be greater demand for professional players.
How to Become a Professional Baseball Player
Here are several steps you should take to become a professional baseball player.
1. Play baseball at a high level throughout your school years
Professional baseball players typically begin playing the sport at a young age. Many high schools and colleges have baseball teams that you can try out for, which can help you develop your skills and become eligible to be scouted by a professional team. If you are able to play on these teams, it is important to focus on improving your batting average and fielding percentage—two statistics used to determine how well a player performs their role.
2. Be scouted by a professional team or agent
Professional teams have scouts who attend amateur baseball games to find talented players. These scouts look for specific qualities in a player that indicate they could be successful at the professional level. If you are scouted by a professional team, you may receive an offer to play for them. You can also hire an agent to help you negotiate with pro teams on your behalf. Agents typically take a percentage of your earnings once you sign a contract with a team.
3. Be drafted by a professional team
Professional teams hold annual drafts to select new players. The best way to be drafted is to have a scout from one of the professional teams attend one of your games and evaluate your performance. If you impress the scout enough, he or she will likely recommend that the team draft you.
If you are not scouted by a professional team, you can also try contacting a team directly yourself. Many baseball players start their careers by sending an email or letter to a team’s general manager (GM) asking for an opportunity to play for them.
4. Sign a professional contract with a team
Once you are drafted by a team, they will offer you a contract to play for them. This contract is usually for several years and includes details about salary, benefits and other aspects of your employment with the team. You should have an agent or lawyer review this contract before signing it to ensure that all the details are correct and fair. After you sign the contract, you officially become a professional baseball player under contract with a team.
5. Attend spring training and play in the minor leagues
After being drafted, you will sign a contract with your team and attend spring training. Spring training is an extended period of time where teams practice and play games before the regular season begins. Teams use this time to evaluate their players and decide who should be sent to the minor leagues.
The minor leagues are a group of affiliated baseball teams that serve as a bridge between amateur and professional baseball. Players in the minor leagues receive lower salaries than those in the major leagues but still earn more money than they would if they were not playing professionally.
6. Be called up to the major leagues
If you perform well enough in the minor leagues, you may be called up to play for a major league team. This usually happens when there is an opening on a team and they want to add a new player who has already proven that he can play at the professional level.
When you are called up to the majors, you will sign a contract with your new team and begin playing games right away. You will also receive higher pay than you did in the minors because of the increased level of skill required to play in the majors.
7. Perform well enough to stay in the majors
If you are able to perform well enough to stay in the majors, you will likely continue playing for many years. However, it is possible that an injury or other circumstance could cause a professional baseball player to be demoted back down to the minor leagues. This can also happen if a player’s performance declines over time.
If this happens to you, try to work on your skills and improve as a player so you can return to the major leagues. You may also consider retiring from baseball and pursuing another career path.
