From Cape Cod to Alaska, college leagues eye MLB changes

Years before he became commissioner of the Alaska Baseball League, Chris Beck pointed to the 6-foot-7 slugger in the Anchorage Glacier Pilots' uniform and told his son to say hello.

Beck had a feeling about the freshman from Fresno State — a towering outfielder named Aaron Judge.

“I told my son to go get his autograph, because he just was different,” Beck said.

It was a quintessential college summer league experience, an up-close look at a major league star long before his big break. It's one Beck hopes fans in the 49th State will have for years — but he’s not entirely confident they will.

Already burdened by the coronavirus pandemic and changes in player development that have limited their prospect pool, collegiate summer leagues like the ABL were hit by another potential obstacle recently when Major League Baseball announced the formation of at least two amateur leagues for college players with professional aspirations.

The Appalachian League, formerly a Rookie-level minor league, will convert into a 10-team wood bat summer league in 2021 for college players entering their freshman and sophomore seasons. Meanwhile, the six-team MLB Draft League is launching for college and high school players during their draft-eligible year.

Both leagues have spawned as MLB shrinks its affiliated minors from 160 teams to 120, repurposing franchises to serve amateur talent. The new leagues will offer those players access to top-level coaching, guaranteed looks from pro scouts, and ballparks outfitted with the latest cameras and tracking systems that provide prized data to major league front offices.

It's mostly good news for players hoping to get noticed. Less ideal for the leagues that used to give them that chance.

“Any time MLB puts their name on something, they do...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/From-Cape-Cod-to-Alaska-college-leagues-eye-MLB-15792958.php