A few more details of the upcoming newly designed MLB player development contract with the Minor Leagues have trickled out.
Travel :
Teams will be required to provide at least two buses for every road trip. For trips that exceed 250 miles at least one of the busses must be a sleeper bus.
Any trip that exceeds 350 miles will require that the travel is by air or on a buses on an off day.
Any trip that exceeds 550 miles will require that the travel is by air and any AAA level trip that exceeds 550 miles must be by air travel. - the only exception is if there are no direct flights available and MLB is notified and agrees - then bus travel will be permitted - travel in those cases must occur on or before an off date.
Any trip of 50 or more miles will require a hotel stay.
Number of Games :
MLB will reserve the right to determine the number of games played at each level. The previous agreement set the game total at 140 games for full season squads. It’s anticipated that the Single A level of play will adopt a 120 game schedule.
Game Times :
All games on the final day of a series must start at 4 PM local time or earlier. The exception would be if both teams are not set to travel more than 150 miles by bus or 550 miles by plane for their next scheduled game.
Teams must receive permission from MLB to play any game prior to 12 PM local time.
Off Days :
Teams must be given an off day every 15 days ... the current agreement is 30 day gaps.
Housing :
Teams will be required to provide housing for up to 33 players and staff at a hotel or apartment complex that is within 15 miles of the stadium. The clubs will not be responsible for paying for the housing but they are required to acquire it and MLB will have the right of approval before the season begins. This effectively ends the individual “host family ” agreements that are in place at the lower levels today. Maybe I should purchase a hotel here in Clearwater 🤔😎.
New York Penn League :
Existing Teams had until yesterday to formally answer whether they would participate in the proposed collegiate wood bat league. The league would be a short season endeavor of 60-68 games that would cater to rising collegiate seniors. Games would start in June and run thru August.
These items are in addition to the upgraded facility standards reported before.
Source story - Baseball America - JJ Cooper.