2026 Minor Leagues

[weepinwillow]

How the Dominican Baseball Factory Traps Young Players and Their Families With False Promises

Teams make handshake deals with players as young as 11 while moneylenders prey on their families. The industry is corrupt, but Major League Baseball and the players union have done little about it.

www.propublica.org

interesting read about the DR baseball academies and the cesspool of "businessmen" who surround it. David Ortiz coming across less than the lovable Big Papi persona portrays.

 

[WhoAzcue]

I realize we have to rely on something to evaluate these players, but if time has taught us anything at all, it's to not trust minor leaguers to hit at the major league level until they've come up and done it over an extended period. You certainly can't rely upon muscular minor leaguers to rescue your team, that's for sure.

 

[DCTribefan]

Something I want people to keep in mind when looking at numbers this year.

2025 vs 2026 entire league OPS and PA per HR across the levels.

International League:

.251/.340/.410, 35.11 PA per HR in 2025
.252/.344/.418, 32.84 PA per HR in 2026

Eastern League:

.232/.318/.362, 48.67 PA per HR in 2025
.247/.337/.413, 33.26 PA per HR in 2026

Midwest League:

.237/.334/.359, 59.07 PA per HR in 2025
.249/.355/.411, 35.60 PA per HR in 2026

Carolina League:

.235/.335/.330, 80.73 PA per HR in 2025
.241/.351/.376, 48.09 PA per HR in 2026

AZ Complex League:

.261/.360/.389, 67.42 PA per HR in 2025
.265/.380/.425, 44.64 PA per HR in 2026

So you’re saying the baseballs were juiced this season?

 

[Martyinnewyork]

Ingle is playing tonight, but no Ralphy. Ralphy hasn’t played the last 3-4 games.

 

[thoughtful]

These charts show that the home run rate is about the same as it was in 2021 for all levels except AAA. The question is why did it decrease so much in 2024 and 2025 before returning to 2021 and 2022 levels.

So, HRs returned to 2021 levels below AAA. I am betting we did not hit as many home runs below AAA in 2021 as we did in 2026. Fortunately, Ralphy broke the trend in AAA. Still think we have added solid power options even if HRs are up across the board.

 

[KluberSociety]

I realize we have to rely on something to evaluate these players, but if time has taught us anything at all, it's to not trust minor leaguers to hit at the major league level until they've come up and done it over an extended period. You certainly can't rely upon muscular minor leaguers to rescue your team, that's for sure.

You mean the guy with 59% Contact% in AA won't hit 40 HRs in the bigs? But damn, when the ball hits his bat, it looks glorious.

I keep forgetting Joey Gallo did exist... (and still does, and is apparently was trying to reinvent himself as a pitcher as late as early 2026, not sure if he gave it up). His spirit lives on through Murakami too. There's a very small window, but not impossible!

The real challenge, is to be good enough that your team plays you enough to where you set the single-season K record. While they may want to give you pity, they also realize your bat is too valuable. Schwarber and Montgomery may actually have a chance this year, and they are also needed.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

...you may be missing the primary point of the @BimboTrollsHair posting... every "team" level improved power output, some by approaching 45 %.. while not sacrificing contact counting stats... pretty remarkable.. to say the least... no?

In the Akron thread Bimbo had this:

Offense is up considerably at every level but AAA this year (new minor league ball).

Then he fleshed it out in this thread with actual numbers. Offense is definitely up "considerably." You don't see that kind of increase in one year unless something changed dramatically. Bimbo said the baseball is different, which would explain it, but MLB denies it.

Since the AAA home run rate is actually DOWN from last year, my question is whether all minor leagues get balls from the same factory. Or do the AAA balls come from one Rawlings factory while the lower levels get balls manufactured elsewhere?

I think Bimbo's "primary point" which you think I'm missing is that the home run rate for all levels below AAA is considerably higher than the last couple of years and we need to factor that in when evaluating the performance of guys like LaViolette and Schubart. IOW, hitting 35 home runs this year is not as impressive as it would have been last year because something is making home runs much easier to hit.

 

[The Real Mott the Hoople]

In the Akron thread Bimbo had this:

Offense is up considerably at every level but AAA this year (new minor league ball).

Then he fleshed it out in this thread with actual numbers. Offense is definitely up "considerably." You don't see that kind of increase in one year unless something changed dramatically. Bimbo said the baseball is different, which would explain it, but MLB denies it.

Since the AAA home run rate is actually DOWN from last year, my question is whether all minor leagues get balls from the same factory. Or do the AAA balls come from one Rawlings factory while the lower levels get balls manufactured elsewhere?

I think Bimbo's "primary point" which you think I'm missing is that the home run rate for all levels below AAA is considerably higher than the last couple of years and we need to factor that in when evaluating the performance of guys like LaViolette and Schubart. IOW, hitting 35 home runs this year is not as impressive as it would have been last year because something is making home runs much easier to hit.

From what I understand, AAA and MLB balls are hand-stitched. AA and lower use machine stitched balls because they are cheaper.

 

[BimboTrollsHair]

From what I understand, AAA and MLB balls are hand-stitched. AA and lower use machine stitched balls because they are cheaper.

Essentially this.

MLB and AAA baseballs come out of the same place in Central America. Literally identical balls and go through the same mudding process as well. Robot assisted hand rolled and stitched with low seams vs strictly machine sewn with higher seams.

The minor league ball typically comes from Asia. In the past they've had higher seams and aren't nearly as tacky as the MLB ball when it comes in raw, pre-mudded. This year they are noticeably firmer to the touch, tackier, and the seams are way lower. I am sure they are coming from the same manufacturer and factory in Asia, which is why the MLB can say they are the same and nothing has changed, but it was apparent from week 1 the ball was different to everyone.

Good combo for a better offensive environment. Lower seams leads to less movement on pitches and harder to control pitches. Leads to less air resistance on batted balls. And if it is in fact a bit harder (like all of us are when we see a pulled fly ball), even more of a benefit to the hitters.

 

[Damage]

Essentially this.

MLB and AAA baseballs come out of the same place in Central America. Literally identical balls and go through the same mudding process as well. Robot assisted hand rolled and stitched with low seams vs strictly machine sewn with higher seams.

The minor league ball typically comes from Asia. In the past they've had higher seams and aren't nearly as tacky as the MLB ball when it comes in raw, pre-mudded. This year they are noticeably firmer to the touch, tackier, and the seams are way lower. I am sure they are coming from the same manufacturer and factory in Asia, which is why the MLB can say they are the same and nothing has changed, but it was apparent from week 1 the ball was different to everyone.

Good combo for a better offensive environment. Lower seams leads to less movement on pitches and harder to control pitches. Leads to less air resistance on batted balls. And if it is in fact a bit harder (like all of us are when we see a pulled fly ball), even more of a benefit to the hitters.

I'll show you some robot assisted balls (DM me)

 

[The Real Mott the Hoople]

I guess the Guards have a sticky problem with Walters.

Cleveland Guardians Rumors - MLB Trade Rumors

Cleveland Guardians trade and free agent rumors from MLBTradeRumors.com.

www.mlbtraderumors.com

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Essentially this.

MLB and AAA baseballs come out of the same place in Central America. Literally identical balls and go through the same mudding process as well. Robot assisted hand rolled and stitched with low seams vs strictly machine sewn with higher seams.

The minor league ball typically comes from Asia. In the past they've had higher seams and aren't nearly as tacky as the MLB ball when it comes in raw, pre-mudded. This year they are noticeably firmer to the touch, tackier, and the seams are way lower. I am sure they are coming from the same manufacturer and factory in Asia, which is why the MLB can say they are the same and nothing has changed, but it was apparent from week 1 the ball was different to everyone.

Good combo for a better offensive environment. Lower seams leads to less movement on pitches and harder to control pitches. Leads to less air resistance on batted balls. And if it is in fact a bit harder (like all of us are when we see a pulled fly ball), even more of a benefit to the hitters.

Thanks, that would explain it.

Lower seams leads to less movement on pitches and harder to control pitches. Leads to less air resistance on batted balls.

Which would explain the high rate of both walks and home runs. So....let's not get too excited about big home run numbers until we see them at Columbus?

 

[thoughtful]

Thanks, that would explain it.

Lower seams leads to less movement on pitches and harder to control pitches. Leads to less air resistance on batted balls.

Which would explain the high rate of both walks and home runs. So....let's not get too excited about big home run numbers until we see them at Columbus?

In college, I was talking to a pitcher at the school (high-end athletics), and he was busy using his cleats to push down the hide cover at the seams so that the seams were more prevalent. He noted that the bigger seams gave his pitches more movement. Everyone is looking for an edge.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

In college, I was talking to a pitcher at the school (high-end athletics), and he was busy using his cleats to push down the hide cover at the seams so that the seams were more prevalent. He noted that the bigger seams gave his pitches more movement. Everyone is looking for an edge.

Maybe when the Guardians receive a shipment of baseballs they should give their pitchers a go at them before giving the balls to the umpiring crew.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Essentially this.

MLB and AAA baseballs come out of the same place in Central America. Literally identical balls and go through the same mudding process as well. Robot assisted hand rolled and stitched with low seams vs strictly machine sewn with higher seams.

The minor league ball typically comes from Asia. In the past they've had higher seams and aren't nearly as tacky as the MLB ball when it comes in raw, pre-mudded. This year they are noticeably firmer to the touch, tackier, and the seams are way lower. I am sure they are coming from the same manufacturer and factory in Asia, which is why the MLB can say they are the same and nothing has changed, but it was apparent from week 1 the ball was different to everyone.

Good combo for a better offensive environment. Lower seams leads to less movement on pitches and harder to control pitches. Leads to less air resistance on batted balls. And if it is in fact a bit harder (like all of us are when we see a pulled fly ball), even more of a benefit to the hitters.

The good news is that Ralphy averaged a home run every 21 at-bats at Akron and every 14 at-bats at Columbus, so it appears the higher seamed balls in AAA didn't bother him at all.