NEW YORK -- The average salary in Major League Baseball surpassed $3 million for the first time.

The 912 players in the big leagues before rosters expanded in September averaged $3,014,572, the Major League Baseball Players Association said Monday. The average rose 0.6 percent from last year's $2,996,106, the smallest increase since a 2.5 percent drop in 2004.

The union's Opening Day average first reached $3 million in 2007, but the average drops during the season as veterans are released and replaced by younger players earning far less. The union's average at the start of this season was $3,340,133.

The New York Yankees had the highest final average at $7,604,937, down slightly from $7,663,351 when they won the World Series in 2009. Philadelphia rose from eighth to second at $5,662,551.

Boston ($4,821,016) remained third, and the Chicago White Sox ($4,580,868) climbed from 12th to fourth followed by the Chicago Cubs ($4,107,304), who dropped from second. Houston ($1,931,793) slid from 11th to 22nd.

Pittsburgh was last for the second straight season at $1,140,598. Cleveland ($1,205,210) dropped from 23rd to 29th.