• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, September 16, 2025

The Other Big Winner of Tatis Jr.’s Record Deal

  • Big League Advance allows players to monetize their potential.
  • The company has invested $156 million in minor league baseball players.
Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY/Design: Alex Brooks

Five years ago, Big League Advance placed a bet on a 17 year-old Fernando Tatis Jr. On Wednesday, that bet paid off big time.

Big League Advance allows players to monetize their potential, paying prospects up front for a cut of their future earnings. With his record breaking 14-year, $340 million deal, Tatis Jr. is now Big League Advance’s biggest success story.

The company is part of a growing industry that allows prospects to monetize their potential or otherwise hedge their bets. 

  • The recently launched Evolution Development Group focuses on athletes in sports that are expensive to break into, namely golf, auto racing and combat sports. The company recently announced Andretti Autosports as an investment partner.
  • Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie cut out the middle man last year and offered bonds connected to his own earning futures on a blockchain exchange.
  • Fantex, which bought player future earnings and then sold them on an exchange, closed its platform in 2017. 

Big League Advance’s investors include Cleveland Browns executive and former baseball executive Paul DePodesta and Marvin Bush, brother of former President George W. Bush, who chairs the company board.

Founder and CEO Michael Schwimer, 35, saw the challenges and uncertainty faced by minor leaguers in his own brief career as a relief pitcher, in which he pitched just under 50 Major League innings over two seasons.

The company has invested $156 million in minor league baseball players, using predictive analytics to forecast their future success. Because Major League Baseball’s contract structure suppresses earnings in a player’s first six years, particularly the first three, the company must take a long view of its investments.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ken Rosenthal: I Apologized to Photog After Knocking Him Over

Rosenthal backpedaled into the photographer to avoid a Gatorade shower.

Low-Payroll Brewers Buck the Math, Clinch First MLB Playoff Berth

Milwaukee continues to defy its market size and economic constraints.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.

NFL, Yankees, Cubs Hold Moments of Silence for Charlie Kirk

The Green Bay moment was an NFL decision, a spokesperson told FOS.

Featured Today

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
September 9, 2025

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
opinion
September 9, 2025

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from NFL’s Week 1 Broadcasts

Many viewers decried the addition of ads to “NFL RedZone.”
Joe Burrow

Joe Burrow Out for Months After Bengals’ Pricey Offseason

Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase are the highest-paid WR duo in NFL history.
September 10, 2025

Kuminga, Grimes Remain Unsigned As Giddey Agrees to $100M Deal

Two of the four restricted free agents have inked deals.
September 11, 2025

NHL To Allow Players From Hockey Canada Trial To Return This Winter

The five Canadian players were all acquitted in July.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
September 8, 2025

Alcaraz and Sinner Have More to Gain in 2025 After Splitting Slams

Alcaraz and Sinner have split the last eight Grand Slams.
September 7, 2025

Alcaraz Beats Sinner, Wins $5M Prize, Reclaims World No. 1

Alcaraz won a record $5 million first prize at the US Open.
Angel Reese
September 5, 2025

Angel Reese Suspended For Half-Game After Ripping Teammates

The team is disciplining Reese for criticizing her teammates publicly.
Caitlin Clark
September 4, 2025

Caitlin Clark Says She Won’t Return From Injury This Year

She only played 13 games this season.