1.Major League Baseball:A Study of Continuing Education and Career Development Programs
Eric Knott
December 10, 2010
Stetson University
Fall 2010
Dr. Matthew J. Wilson

2. Introduction
According to a 2009 report by the Wall Street Journal, Major League Baseball had only 26 college graduates on opening-day Major League rosters. (Turbow, 2009) The Oakland As led all Major League baseball clubs with a total of three graduates. The number of graduates in Major League Baseball is significantly lower than their colleagues in the National Football League and the National Basketball Association. Half of all NFL football players have four-year degrees and twenty-one percent of NBA players have a four-year degree. (Abrams, 2009) Those figures account to approximately 800 NFL and 90 NBA college graduates.
3. Purpose:
This study will examine the results of a survey administered to current and former minor league baseball regarding their current educational levels, their baseball career expectations, their post-baseball career expectations, and their current efforts to finish their degree while still playing professional baseball.
4. Research Questions
Research Questions

RQ 1. How does Major League Baseball compare in regards to the NFL and NBA in offering career development and continuing education programs to current and former players?

5. RQ 2. How important do minor league baseball prospects think it is to complete their four-year degree during or immediately after their playing career? 6. RQ 3. How likely are current minor league baseball players to utilize career development and continuing education services offered by MLB?