Minor League Players Unsure of Future Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Major League Baseball on Saturday sent out a 67-page memo to teams detailing safety and testing protocols as they look to have regular-season games by the start of July.

The memo said whatever Spring Training looks like, it will be limited to 50 players per team. There will be socially-distanced lockers, regular testing, and no high-fives, fist bumps, or hugs.

The plan seems a bit ambitious calling for a return to team facilities next month. The players and owners also still have to agree on revenue sharing in a shortened season.

Meanwhile, players across all levels of the minors are hoping they have baseball this summer too.

That includes those guys grinding in the Independent Leagues who certainly aren't making the big money like their major league counterparts.

CBS 2's Matt Zahn spoke to some players on the Schaumburg Boomers and Windy City Thunderbolts about what missing games means to them.

Thunderbolts infielder Micah Coffey, who went to Batavia High School, explained how financially tough it is for minor league players. During the offseason they get whatever types of jobs they can just to make ends meet and then hope to get the season going.

Minor Leaguers are currently struggling to figure out what the next month, two months or even six months will look like.

Boomers catcher Nick Oddo said: "There is a lot of anxiety... We look forward to our baseball season all throughout the offseason. When it's kind of taken away from you, it's tough."

But he adds, "Nothing much you can do. Keep on keepin' on, I guess."

When asked about possibly moving on from baseball, Coffey admits that he thinks those thoughts are happening with a lot of players. But he believes those are healthy thoughts to have.

"We all know this dream, one way or another, nobody is going to play baseball forever," said Coffey. "So you'd hope that at some point you'd find another dream to go pursue. This has given guys a lot of time to think about what that might be."

Coffey's teammate, fellow infielder Michael Mateja, says for him that's a tough decision. He points out that in his case, he has a college degree. He's weighing the pros and cons and keeping his options open.

"I love playing the game," said Majeta. "My body is still holding up well. It's just a tough decision and something I think about quite often, actually."

Boomers pitcher Connor Reed adds that those thoughts "are part of my bad days." He says he can see himself moving into coaching or another profession entirely. He admits it's tough right now because,

"We're always working towards that opening day, that spring training, all that stuff. And it's like, those dates got here and I'm still not doing anything. It is tough, it's tough," he said. "But I think I'm going to stick with it. I love it too much."