Major League Baseball eliminated more than 40 affiliated teams in the top four levels of the minor leagues over the winter, leaving 120 affiliated teams, four per MLB franchise.
Friday, MLB announced that all 120 teams have signed what is now termed a Professional Development License. License agreements are going to be for at least 10 years, rather than the two- or four-year agreements minor-league clubs previously had.
MLB says that many affiliates will be in significantly closer geographic proximity to the clubs with which they are associated. On average, MLB says its clubs will now be over 200 miles closer to their Triple-A affiliates.