MLB Draft League

Last updated
MLB Draft League
MLB Draft League logo.png
Classification Collegiate summer
Sport Baseball
Founded2021
DirectorSean Campbell [1]
No. of teams6
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion(s)		 West Virginia Black Bears (2023)
Most titles West Virginia Black Bears (2)
Official website www.mlb.com/mlb-draft-league

The MLB Draft League is a baseball league that began play in 2021. [2] Created by Major League Baseball (MLB) and Prep Baseball Report, the league operates a split-season format of 80 games. For the first 30 games of the season, running from June 1 to July 4, the league operates as a collegiate summer baseball league to serve as a showcase for top draft-eligible prospects leading up to each summer's MLB draft. [2] After a break for the draft, play resumes for the remaining 50 games with paid players who have exhausted their amateur eligibility. [3]

Contents

The league's six teams were formerly members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League, Eastern League, and Carolina League before MLB's reorganization of the minors for 2021. [4] [5] In 2021, each team in the league played a 68-game regular season, with an All-Star Break taking place around the MLB draft. [6] The season was expanded to 80 games per team beginning in 2022. [7]

Current teams

TeamCityStadiumCapacity
Frederick Keys Frederick, Maryland Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium 5,400
Mahoning Valley Scrappers Niles, Ohio Eastwood Field 6,000
State College Spikes University Park, Pennsylvania Medlar Field at Lubrano Park 5,570
Trenton Thunder Trenton, New Jersey Trenton Thunder Ballpark 6,440
West Virginia Black Bears Granville, West Virginia Monongalia County Ballpark 3,500
Williamsport Crosscutters Williamsport, Pennsylvania Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field 2,366
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Mapscaleline.svg
100km
62miles
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Crosscutters
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Black Bears
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Thunder
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Spikes
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Scrappers
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Keys
MLB Draft League
  • Red pog.svg Current Team Locations

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References

  1. ↑ "Sean Campbell taking over as MLB Draft League Executive Director". MLBDraftLeague.com. MLB Draft League. May 29, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Reichard, Kevin (November 30, 2020). "Kerrick Jackson is New MLB Draft League President". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  3. ↑ "What is the MLB Draft League". MLBDraftLeague.com. MLB Draft League. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Mahoning Valley Scrappers Retain Affiliation With Major League Baseball in New MLB Draft League". Mahoning Valley Scrappers. Minor League Baseball. November 30, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  5. ↑ Cooper, J.J. (December 9, 2020). "Frederick Becomes Sixth Team To Join MLB Draft League". Baseball America . Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  6. ↑ "MLB to Launch League for Draft Prospects". Major League Baseball. November 30, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Crosscutters 2022 Schedule to Feature More Games and New Start Times". OurSports Central (Press release). November 8, 2021.


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