Minor league baseball (MiLB), as an entity, has ceased to exist. It’s offices in St Petersburg, Florida, no longer control operations for some 160 minor league teams in over a dozen leagues across the United States. In it’s place, Major league baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred’s “One Baseball” plan has completed what can be described as a hostile takeover of eleven minor leagues, covering 120 teams, and severing formal affiliations with three short-season rookie leagues.
The 120 MiLB teams that were selected to remain affiliated have signed the Professional Development Licenses (PDL’s) that were given to them by MLB.