The Cincinnati Reds extended development licenses to four minor league baseball teams today, and those four teams are the same ones that you’re used to. While some teams saw plenty of switching of affiliates, the Reds are looking to keep the Louisville Bats, Chattanooga Lookouts, Dayton Dragons, and Daytona Tortugas in their chain. We need to be sure to note that while those teams have been offered a development license that it does not mean that they will accept it.
If you’re confused by that, and you probably should be, let’s break it down a little bit. Despite negotiations that have been going on for nearly a year-and-a-half, Major League Baseball is cutting out non-complex level rookie ball and keeping 120 teams beyond the complex level each organization has at their spring training site – but even today, with these announcements, not a single minor league franchise has actually signed a contract to say yes.