Agents and Advisors

A baseball agent, in a bare bones definition, is a person who represents a ballplayer in contract negotiations with a professional team. Baseball agents are authorized to deal directly with representatives of the club on the player’s behalf. They also give the athlete and his family guidance and advice as to what kind of compensation they should expect to receive, and which special covenants should be included in the contract.

An advisor provides the same guidance and advice. In fact, this job is very much the same as that of a baseball agent. The difference is that an advisor cannot be present in contract negotiations, nor can he or she be in direct contact with any professional club in regards to the player. If these boundaries are crossed, the “advisor” moniker is shed and the individual becomes a baseball agent—at least in the eyes of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
 
In addition to helping the player determine his signing value, it’s the advisor’s job to protect the athlete’s eligibility while he and his family decide whether or not it’s in his best interest to go pro. When the pro contract is signed, that’s when the advisor generally becomes the player’s baseball agent. 

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Next Page: Minor League Baseball Contracts