What kind of contract does a minor league player sign to insure he stays with the organization?

Question

When a player signs with a minor league team how does the team insure that the player remains with the team after they prove to be successful For example say a player takes 5 years to develope does that mean he would have to sign a six year contract for the major league team to have any value? Anyone who can break down the mechanics of minor league contracts would be appreciated. Also any websites with info would be great.

Answer 1

Most of the time, players don't sign with minor league teams - their contract is with the major league team that the minor league team is affiliated with.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLB owners and the Players Association covers this. When a player is drafted and signed, the team has the right to that player for several years in the minors (I think it's 4 or 5 years 'til they need to be put on the 40-man roster, and then 2 years after that they can be sent to the minors) and his first 6 years in the major leagues. They do not have the right to free agency until either (1) They've been in the major leagues for at least 6 years, or (2) They've been in the minor leagues for 7 years (or however many it is) without being called up to the majors.