CATEGORIES
MINORS- SURVEY SAYS
Our annual survey of minor league operators highlights the ways in which things will never be the same
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
RESOLVE WILL BE TESTED
Teams will face new challenges entertaining fans, but they should emerge stronger for it
HIGH SCHOOL- THE TALE OF TWO TOOL SETS
Jackson Jobe realized his true upside is on the mound
THE RULE OF THREE
Bobby Witt Jr., Riley Greene and CJ Abrams are three of the prospects we’re most excited to see this season—and for good reason
LET THERE BE LIGHT
New ballpark lighting standards will help hitters and fielders see the ball better at the lower levels
The Tide Turns
Changes to MLB draft rules could make the 2020s a second golden age for junior college baseball
The Time Is Now
Ethan Wilson looks to lead a talented South Alabama club back to a regional
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE . . .
College baseball teams continue their search to make their sport a revenue generator
WELCOME BACK
The 2021 college season will be unlike any before it, with more talent across the country than at any other time in the history of the sport.
Southeastern
Jud Fabian and No. 1 Florida sit atop the SEC standings following a 16-1 start to the 2020 season
Super sophomores
Boston College’s trio of preseason All-Americans has the Eagles envisioning a trip to Omaha
Scout Spotlight - SCOUTS IN THEIR OWN WORDS. THE PLAYERS. THE JOURNEY. THE STATE OF THE GAME.
Perseverance pays off for a Tigers area scout
REKINDLING THE PASSION
For top prospect Brandon Wood, failure was the teacher that granted him the perspective to aid others
More competitive than ever
College baseball enters a season of unprecedented depth and talent
Big 12
Texas Tech is the favorite, but there’s plenty of competition in the Big 12 race
Obituaries
DICK ALLEN, a third baseman and first baseman who played in the major leagues for 15 years from 19631977 with the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, White Sox, and Athletics and won the National League Rookie of the Year in 1964 and the American League MVP in 1972, died Dec. 7. He was 78.
Scout Spotlight
SCOUTS IN THEIR OWN WORDS. THE PLAYERS. THE JOURNEY. THE STATE OF THE GAME.
HOW A FRANCHISE WAS BUILT
In 1981, Baseball America was launched to fill a void in scouting and player development coverage
THE 120
MLB invited 120 teams to its minor league system. Find out what that means for fans, players and teams.
NO DOWNSIDE
Smart front offices are taking advantage of the minor league Rule 5 draft
CLUBHOUSE CHARACTER
Tim Dillard prides himself on helping his team both on and off the field
OLD MEETS NEW
Brian Snitker expertly navigated the Braves to a third straight division title despite myriad pitching injuries
Focusing on the Northeast pays off for the Indians
Over the past few years, the Indians have mined the Northeast for talent. The 2020 team got big-time contributions from former college righthanders Aaron Civale (Northeastern) and James Karinchak (Bryant). Waiting in the wings are three more prospects from the region, all from high school: third baseman Nolan Jones (Bensalem, Pa.), catcher Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and righthander Lenny Torres (Beacon, N.Y). All five of those players were signed by area scout Mike Kanen, a former Baseball America intern. BA recently spoke with Kanen about his first impressions of those players. The interview is edited for brevity.
SECRET WEAPON
Bobby Dickerson was integral in transforming the Padres’ infield from error-prone to October-caliber
TRUST THE TOOLS
The minor league season was lost, but dynasty players should keep the faith for these nine prospects
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: FEW TEAMS CAN MATCH THE DODGERS' DOMINANCE
The 2020 Dodgers led the National League in runs scored and fewest runs allowed.
BLUEPRINT
From scouting to player development to analytics to acquisition, the Dodgers cover all the bases as baseball’s model franchise.
COAST TO COAST
Andrew Friedman has more money to play with in Los Angeles than he did in Tampa Bay, but his core principles remain unchanged— just like the results
WINTER OF DISCONTENT
The hot stove could quickly turn to deep freeze