Author's Blog

 January 6, 2009

Spring Training for Minor Leaguers


Thursday, March 27, 2008

With all the press that Spring Training receives, seldom is Spring Training for minor league players mentioned.  Only when a player gets sent to the minor league camp does the idea of Spring Training for minor leaguers ever come up.  So what exactly does that mean?  Where are these players sent to, and just how do minor league players get ready for the season?  Minor league Spring Training is in many ways like that of the majors, only with a lot more players and the very real potential of being put out of a job.  

Minor league camps are usually held not far from the major league camps, although players report a couple of weeks after the big leaguers.  While the major leagues invite their 40 man rosters plus another 15 to 20 players that may have a shot at making the team, the minor league camps have some 170 or so players.  According to Joe Ritzo, play by play broadcaster for the San Jose Giants, a typical schedule would be 7 days of workout, 5 days of intra-squad games, and 12 games between the various teams.  For the games, the minor league players are broken down into four squads, Triple A, Double A, high Single A, and low Single A, to match the full season minor league classes.  A lot of movement between these squads is common.  These games are usually played at ballpark complexes rather than stadiums, with maybe 15 to 20 spectators per game.  Admission is free, because there are no ticket sales, or concession sales for that matter.  As some players get cut from camp, others will join the teams out of the major league camp.  After the last game (this year held on March 29), management will get together and finalize the different farm teams. 

“It can be stressful in the minor league Spring Training,” says Ritzo.  While players in the major league camps are usually sent to the minor league camps, players cut from the minor league camps are sent looking for a new job.  “For those players on the cusp, it’s pretty nerve racking.  Players cut form major league camps at least know they will have another shot.”

For some of the players that do not make one of the four levels in the minor league camp, there still is the possibility of making the short season Single A squad.  These leagues support some of the more experienced June draftees (e.g., players drafted out college), as well as players that did not make another Single A squad.  Players that may be on these squads will stay in camp, and continue to work with coaches until their season begins in June.


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