Even if you go to minor league baseball games every year, it's easy to miss the subtle changes that have occurred over the span of a couple of decades.
Some differences aren't very subtle. The arrival of a pitch clock at Triple-A in 2015 was hard to miss. The reduction of the ticket-taking, affiliated minor leagues from 160 to 120 teams was a seismic change.
A lot of other changes are a little less apparent. One year's bleachers become next year's party deck. A "bark in the park" joins the promotional schedule.
Any one of these moves is very minor, but they are the tweaks that over the years that transform the experience for players, teams and fans.
Here's a look at 10 ways the minor leagues have changed and will change over the next few years.
1. MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL OWNERSHIP IS CONSOLIDATING
The days of the mom and pop-owned minor league team largely disappeared in the 1990s, replaced by the wealthy owner or ownership group. For the owners who survived the threadbare days of the 1970s and '80s, the chance to sell at greatly increased valuations made it a logical time to get out.
Now, we are seeing another transformation. As part of MLB's takeover of the minor leagues, previous rules that prevented a single ownership group from owning more than one team in any league were eliminated.
That opened the doors for consolidation in a manner that had never been possible. Add the desire for some owners to cash out after losing an entire season to the pandemic in 2020, not to mention the concerns that MLB could push for further reductions in the minors in 2031, and the conditions were set for private equity groups to make big inroads into the minor leagues.
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Esta historia es de la edición April 2023 de Baseball America.
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HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
Blaze Alexander entered spring training as a long shot to make the team, but there he was on March 28, starting and batting seventh in the D-backs’ Opening Day lineup.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Louisville Slugger makes Prime bat 30% harder by dipping into 1902 company patent
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
After narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament last year, UC Irvine is determined to finish strong
MORE HARM THAN GOOD?
Dramatically scaling back young pitchers’ workloads has failed to keep them healthier
GEM COLLECTOR
In just four years, Diamond Baseball Holdings has become the most powerful owner ever in Minor League Baseball. What is the plan for their 33 teams—and counting?
LIFE AFTER AFFILIATED BALL
For many minor league teams that lost their MLB affiliations, it has been business as usual— with some unexpected benefits
EARNING POWER
A dramatic upgrade to playing conditions for minor leaguersincluding pay, housing and nutrition has made pro baseball economically viable for all players
NOBODY'S PERFECT
No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday has one flaw in an otherwise airtight profile
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
At nearly every level of his professional career, outfielder Colton Cowser has taken time to acclimate. His major league debut last season was no different.