Major League Baseball is turning away from their traditional Minor League system that has been in place for so many years. Instead, they will pivot to cutting some of those teams in favor of a new format. It was announced this week that MLB will partner with Prep Baseball Report to form a brand new draft league.
The league will take draft-eligible talent and have them compete in a 68-game season starting in 2021. This new league will be led by former MLB scout Kerrick Jackson who left his college job to embark on this new journey.
Thus far, there have been 6 teams to come on board the new league. All 5 of those teams are former MLB affiliates, including the Ogden Raptors. The Dodgers acknowledged this month that they had cut ties with Ogden as part of baseball’s sweeping policy changes. The Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the State College Spikes, the Trenton Thunder, the West Virginia Black Bears, and the Williamsport Crosscutters are the other teams to join up.
The new 68-game schedule will include an All-Star break in MLB centered around the MLB draft. Scouts for teams will be able to watch the league in person and will be able to evaluate players thanks to new additions to scouting technology that comes with the new league.
MLB hopes to set these teams up with 30-man rosters and will help change the entire draft process.
