Baseball Agent FAQ

Becoming a Baseball Agent

How do you become a baseball agent?

Becoming a certified MLB agent involves several required steps. You must apply with the Major League Baseball Players Association, pay an application fee that is currently $2,500, pass a background check, and pass a written exam. MLBPA certification alone is not enough to start working. You also need a current Major League player, or a player who gets called up to the majors, to formally list you as their agent.

What's the difference between a baseball agent and a baseball advisor?

An advisor works with a player who is still a draft prospect, helping them understand the draft process, evaluate college options, and make early decisions, and an advisor can only be paid an hourly fee rather than a commission. Once that player enters the MLB draft pool and gives up remaining college eligibility, they can hire an agent, who can then negotiate playing and marketing contracts on their behalf in exchange for a commission.

What’s the difference between a baseball scout and a baseball agent?

Baseball scouts work for MLB teams, evaluating talent in an assigned region or country to help that team identify and draft future players. A large market team may employ more than a dozen scouts to cover the country and beyond. Baseball agents also evaluate talent, but they represent the players themselves by negotiating playing contracts with teams, securing marketing and endorsement deals with companies, and providing guidance through and after a player's career.

Do baseball agents help players with equipment?

Yes. Agents typically help secure sponsorship or equipment deals with brands such as Wilson or Rawlings. When a player does not have an equipment sponsorship, agents sometimes cover basic gear costs directly, since players still need gloves, bats, and other essential equipment regardless of sponsorship status.

What is arbitration in baseball?

Arbitration is a formal negotiation process used to resolve pay disputes between an MLB team and a player, typically for players with three to six years of major league service who are not yet eligible for free agency. An arbitrator reviews both sides' proposed figures and comparable player salaries, then selects one of the two proposed numbers, which pushes both the agent and the team to make realistic, well supported offers.

How much do baseball agents make?

MLB agents typically earn between three percent and five percent of a player's major league contract value and any signing bonus, and the MLBPA caps commissions at five percent on salary and twenty percent on endorsement income. Agents cannot collect a commission on minor league salaries, though they can collect on a signing bonus tied to that contract. For scale, the 2026 MLB league minimum salary is $780,000, so a four percent commission on a minimum salary contract would be about $31,200. The MLB average salary is well over five million dollars, meaning a four percent commission on an average veteran contract could exceed $200,000, and top agents representing star players earn considerably more.

Do You Need to Be a Lawyer to Become a Baseball Agent?

No. While some successful baseball agents have legal training, many build strong careers through sport specific training, mentorship, and relationship skills instead. SMWW's Baseball Agent Course is built to equip non lawyers with the practical tools needed to succeed as a baseball agent, without requiring a law degree..

What Makes a Great Baseball Agent?

Being an effective baseball agent is about more than legal knowledge. It is about building trust and long term relationships with players and their families. Athletes tend to choose agents who are genuine, dependable, and consistently show up for their clients, while legal fine print is typically handled by an attorney when contracts require it.

About the SMWW Baseball Agent Course

Who teaches the Baseball Agent course, and how is it structured?

The course runs for eight weeks and is led by MLB agent John Boggs, whose past and current clients include Cole Hamels, Tony Gwynn Jr., and Ichiro, along with MLB agent Oscar Suarez. Both mentors cover recruiting, contract negotiation, certification requirements, and the day to day realities of representing professional baseball players, through weekly live video sessions plus an online classroom with assignments and discussion boards. Getting eight weeks of direct access to two working MLB agents is a major part of what has helped SMWW build a global alumni network of more than 30,000 graduates in 163 countries.

What if I need one on one assistance?

SMWW staff are available by phone throughout the course for one on one help with coursework, live sessions, or career questions. Call 1 877 SMWW NOW in the United States and Canada, +44 0 871 288 4799 in the United Kingdom, or +1 503 445 7105 from anywhere else. Our offices are in Portland, Oregon, and London, England.

Why Choose SMWW?

Our 8-week Baseball Agent Course is designed to give you a head start in the competitive world of sports agency. You’ll learn from industry experts, gain insider knowledge, and build a network that puts your career on the fast track.
Stop waiting for your dream career to happen – make it happen! With SMWW, you can become the agent athletes trust to guide their future.
Enroll today and turn your passion for baseball into a thriving career as a baseball agent!

Do you have more questions?

Call the office and ask! 1-877-SMWW-Now in the US or Canada. In London at +44(0) 871 288 4799. Everywhere else at +1-503-445-7105