Minor League Baseball Vs. Major League Baseball

Major league and minor league baseball teams play the same game on the field, but many differences exist from one level to the next. Most major league stars get their start in the minors, and most minor league teams are affiliates of a major league franchise. Once a player is drafted or signed, time in the minors is virtually assured until he is major league-ready.

Levels

One difference between the major and minor leagues is that major league baseball is all one league with one level and the minor league consists of several. Minor league baseball has rookie leagues, single-A, double-A and triple-A levels. New players usually start in a rookie league or single-A and work their way up to double-A, triple-A and then the majors.

Salaries

Salary is a major difference between the majors and minors. Major league baseball players have agents and are free to negotiate for the best deal they can find. The average major league salary in 2010 was almost $3.3 million, according to CBS Sports. First-year minor league players get a maximum of $1,100 per month and are able to negotiate afterward.

Skill Level

While many players in triple-A are on the cusp of being major leaguers and can compare skill-wise, for the most part the big leaguers are head and shoulders above. Major league players generally throw harder, run faster and hit the ball farther. Major league baseball is the pinnacle of the sport, and only the best are part of it.

Stadiums

The stadiums that major and minor league players play in differ vastly. Minor league parks are often in smaller towns and hold less than 5,000 people. Major league stadiums are in big cities and are huge by comparison. Most major league parks hold over 30,000 people and many hold closer to 50,000. Some major league parks also have restaurants, hotels and other luxuries contained within.

Transportation

Major league baseball players fly on airplanes to go on road trips, then take a team bus from the hotel to the park. Minor league players take a bus to all road games and sometimes the trips are long and hot and cover several states.