ALAN SCHER ZAGIER, Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Like many young baseball players, Aaron Senne dreamed of fame and fortune when he signed his first contract as a Miami Marlins draft choice after a record-breaking college career at Missouri.

Reality as a low-level minor leaguer was far different: vending machine dinners, bug-infested apartments and a salary with an equivalent hourly wage less than what fast-food workers make

Senne and former minor-league players in each of the 30 big-league organizations are suing Major League Baseball, alleging violations of federal wage and overtime laws in a case some legal observers suggest has significant merit.

The lawsuit’s driving force is Garrett Broshuis, another former minor-leaguer from Mizzou who went to law school after six seasons in the San Francisco Giants’ organization. Major League Baseball says the claims lack merit.