Too Many Minor Levels?

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

I don't follow MiLB, but I've always thought there are a lot of levels. Do you believe there are too many? There hardly seems to be any difference from AA to AAA, for example, and I don't understand why some players are promoted/demoted.

Is there really a difference between so many levels? Or is it just to include all the aspiring players?

[tg643]

I don't follow MiLB, but I've always thought there are a lot of levels. Do you believe there are too many? There hardly seems to be any difference from AA to AAA, for example, and I don't understand why some players are promoted/demoted.

Is there really a difference between so many levels? Or is it just to include all the aspiring players?

Some MLB organizations use AAA ball to stock ex major leaguers who can be called up in an emergency or for a September in a pennant race. These franchises are more likely to call up prospects from AA. But most franchises want players to come through AAA. The big difference between AA and AAA is more mental and physical rather than talent. Therefore some prospects can skip AAA.

At the A level there are three levels: Shortseason (after the June draft), low A and high A. Each level is a significant step for a player coming out of high school. A travel teammate of my son signed out of high school. He held out for more money until August 15th (last day drafted players can sign that year). He only got in a week in short season. He struggled in low A the first half of last year.

[dominik]

people say that the jump from A to AA is the hardest.

I have also heard that a lot of players are just drafted so that the real talents have someone to play with. you need a lot of teams so that you can give anyone enough playing time at their position. If you have 3 catching prospects you cannot play them in the OF.

So with many drafted players the teams don't even have the intention to bring them up. they are just filling up the many teams. only about 1 in 20 or so makes the majors.
of course the team is still happy if that fill up player surprises them and some do (piazza for example). but usually getting drafted behind the 20th round is not a good sign. for those players often college is the better choice.

I think the clubs know what they do. they need different levels to challenge prospects without overwhelming them and giving anyone enough playing time.

[tg643]

people say that the jump from A to AA is the hardest.

I have also heard that a lot of players are just drafted so that the real talents have someone to play with. you need a lot of teams so that you can give anyone enough playing time at their position. If you have 3 catching prospects you cannot play them in the OF.

So with many drafted players the teams don't even have the intention to bring them up. they are just filling up the many teams. only about 1 in 20 or so makes the majors.
of course the team is still happy if that fill up player surprises them and some do (piazza for example). but usually getting drafted behind the 20th round is not a good sign. for those players often college is the better choice.

I think the clubs know what they do. they need different levels to challenge prospects without overwhelming them and giving anyone enough playing time.

A to AA is the hardest jump. There are three levels of A and only one level of AA. A player getting to AA is considered a legitimate prospect. I once asked a scout why there are sixty rounds to the draft. He said so the top twenty draft choices will have teammates. He added they do make some mistakes and legitmate players from later rounds blossom into players. Keith Hernandez and Ken Griffey Sr were 47th round selections. The reality is 84% of MLB players are drafted in the first ten rounds. 94% are from the first twenty rounds. Piazza was not a "hope he improves" story. The only reason Piazza was drafted was his father was lifelong friends with Tom Lasorda. In the past few years Reuben Amaro, the GM of the Phillies has drafted his nephews. They still went to college.

Sometimes high school players were drafted in later rounds because they are adamant about heading for college. But the team was willing to risk a later pick and hope to sign them for the kind of money they should have received as a first few rounds pick. The new collective barganing agreement now prevents this. Signing bonuses are all about slot money now. Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox were picking up players late in the draft and signing them for big money. What these players didn't want to was to be drafted by bad organizations. It was making the strong stronger.