The Miami Marlins have done it again. Not with a blockbuster trade. Not with a playoff push. But this time, it is a roster move that has everyone talking. The team’s latest decision—establishing a practice squad outside the minor league system—has sparked debate. Some call it a clever approach. Others see it as just another cheap stunt. Either way, the team is making headlines—just not the kind they want.

The announcement introduced a new practice squad of players – composed of the public, ideally former college or professional players – who would train in Jupiter. They would compete against the Marlins’ minor league teams, all while on a meager pay of $150. Some argue that such thin compensation is another instance of the Marlins running on a shoestring budget. Not to forget, the Miami Marlins already come under the list of teams with the lowest payrolls in MLB. The thought process of recruiting stars outside the minor league system while paying them very little has been identified as exploitative.

MLB analyst David Samson wasted no time addressing the backlash. On ‘Nothing Personal with David Samson Live’, he dismissed the outrage. The former Marlins president argued that the team is simply doing what other teams already do—but with more transparency. “Do you know how many teams hold tryouts for people who currently professional baseball players“? Samson asked. His argument? The Miami Marlins mistake was not the act itself. It was the decision to make it public.

Samson further added that similar moves happen across MLB, just with less publicity. “When the minor league teams were cut and contracted, the need for bodies did not necessarily go away,” he said. This statement also references MLB’s decision to downsize its minor league system in 2021. That year, the league eliminated 42 minor league teams, decreasing the talent pool. However, teams still needed additional talents to complete their rosters for training and practice.

To fill these gaps, teams turn to temporary stars and non-roster invitees. For instance, Dave Roberts’ team brought in almost 26 non-roster players to camp in 2025. That list contains former independent league stars and minor league veterans. Similarly, the New York Yankees signed multiple talents to minor league deals with non-guaranteed money, utilizing them to bolster spring training rosters.

The Miami Marlins’ decision to establish a dedicated practice squad is not as radical as it looks. Instead of relying on one-off invites, this move formalizes an approach that has long existed in MLB. However, as the analyst acknowledged, the optics are not effective. “It is a bad look” given the team’s history, he admitted. However, Samson also highlighted that low pay for a temporary place on a roster is not new. “That is the rate. Our rate was way less. I think we were under a hundred bucks in my day“.

Needless to say, that was barely enough to cover basic expenses. So, is this just the Marlins being cheap? Or is it another misunderstood MLB business decision? Either way, the team is once again under fire—for better or worse.

The Miami Marlins and the system built on low-paid labor

While the Miami Marlins’ practice squad experiment sparked outrage, it is not an isolated instance. Instead, it highlights MLB’s long-standing reliance on underpaid labor. For years, non-roster invitees and minor leaguers have struggled with low wages. Spring training remains one of the worst instances of this exploitation. In the past, players were not compensated at the period of spring training. Their salaries applied only to the regular season. Instead, the stars received per diems and it could be as low as $25 per day.

However, some teams provided slightly higher allowances. This was supposed to cover provisions for housing and meals. Such a financial strain forced stars to look for off-season employment. They also relied on outer support to continue their baseball careers. Reports highlight that multiple minor leaguers lived below the poverty line, highlighting the economic hardships faced by such athletes.

Currently, there have been approaches to enhance their situation. For instance, the 2022-2026 collective bargaining agreement launched a weekly base allowance of $369.50 at the period of spring training. This also comes with an additional $65.60 for stars residing away from the team’s facilities. In addition, a meal and tip allowance of $104.50 per day was allocated, subject to annual cost-of-living adjustments. Despite such enhancements, multiple stars continue to face financial issues.

This backdrop puts the Marlins’ practice squad move into perspective. If minor leaguers have historically been unpaid, is Miami’s decision truly an outlier? Or is it simply another chapter in MLB’s long-running problem with underpaid talent?