Marlins Stop Illegal Practice Squad Idea After MLB Complains

The Miami Marlins practice squad idea is no more. 

The team pulled a recent ad asking for former collegiate and professional players to join its “practice squad” at the request of Major League Baseball officials. 

The ad first appeared on LinkedIn by one of the team’s minor league operation staffers and went viral on social media. The post offered non-professional players the opportunity to compete against the team’s Low-A affiliate in Florida for $150 a day. The ad pitched the job as a possible pathway to the pros. The Marlins declined a request for comment.

Practice squads exist only in the NFL and aren’t needed in baseball, where teams have multiple minor league teams to provide depth. Having one could have conflicted with the game’s roster rules and labor practice rules, according to The Athletic. 

Players in Low-A were required to make at least $26,200 during the 2024 season, according to the recent collective bargaining agreement, which also calls for a minimum salary of $19,800 in rookie-ball leagues where games are played at team complexes, putting the Marlins’ figure significantly under both, and therefore in violation of MLB’s salary requirements. 

A Marlins official told The Athletic that the ad wasn’t fully vetted by the organization before its publication and was seen as a way to boost competition in the team’s farm system. It was also seen as a work-around to the reduction in minor league affiliates, which were cut to four after most teams had more than six before the 2021 season. 

The Major League Baseball Players Association, which also represents minor league players, asked MLB about the job posting and was told the Marlins weren’t proceeding with it. “We immediately contacted the league after seeing this announcement, which is a flagrant end-run around the protections that Minor League Players fought for in collective bargaining. Thankfully, we’ve been informed the idea has since been scrapped,” the MLBPA said in a statement. 

MLB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.