Difference between the Minor League Affliliates

joejccva71 · 08-11-2018, 08:08 PM

Hi all quick question.

I'm playing with the Red Sox and I'd like to know what the difference is between some of these affiliates.

Obviously the AAA and AA I understand, but the Single-A and the Rookie League is what i'm confused about.

So there are 3 single- A leagues:

Salem Redsox, Greenville Drive, and the Lowell Spinners. What are the differences between these three single-A leagues? If I have a prospects playing in one of them, do I need to progress him through each of these single-A leagues before bringing him up to AA when he's ready?

Or do these leagues just vary because of their "location"?

I know that the GCL (gulf coast league) is for newly drafted prospects. But it's the single-A leagues that I'm confused about.

Orcin · 08-11-2018, 08:25 PM

High-A (or A+) is marginally harder than A. Short season A is the easiest. You should probably consider short season A as "advanced rookie". You can treat A+ and A as the same for all practical purposes, but you will find some players that struggle at A+ and need both levels. Other players can skip one or the other.

Curve Ball Dave · 08-11-2018, 08:26 PM

Short Season A is Advanced Rookie. It's for guys just drafted out of college who are a little too advanced to play against raw teenagers in Rookie ball, and for guys who played a season or two of Rookie ball and are ready to advance. Low A is just that. It's the first full season level of the minor leagues. High A isn't a full step above Low A, it's more like a half step. The competition is a little better than Low A.

In the case of the Red Sox, the Lowell Spinners are in the New York-Penn League which is Short Season A. The Greenville Drive are part of the Low A South Atlantic League. You promote your better guys from Lowell to Greenville. If a player is ready to move up a level, you promote him to Salem of the Carolina League which is High A. From there they go to Portland and so on.

08-11-2018, 08:08 PM	#1
joejccva71 Banned Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 91	Difference between the Minor League Affliliates Hi all quick question. I'm playing with the Red Sox and I'd like to know what the difference is between some of these affiliates. Obviously the AAA and AA I understand, but the Single-A and the Rookie League is what i'm confused about. So there are 3 single- A leagues: Salem Redsox, Greenville Drive, and the Lowell Spinners. What are the differences between these three single-A leagues? If I have a prospects playing in one of them, do I need to progress him through each of these single-A leagues before bringing him up to AA when he's ready? Or do these leagues just vary because of their "location"? I know that the GCL (gulf coast league) is for newly drafted prospects. But it's the single-A leagues that I'm confused about.

08-11-2018, 08:26 PM	#3
Curve Ball Dave Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,393	Short Season A is Advanced Rookie. It's for guys just drafted out of college who are a little too advanced to play against raw teenagers in Rookie ball, and for guys who played a season or two of Rookie ball and are ready to advance. Low A is just that. It's the first full season level of the minor leagues. High A isn't a full step above Low A, it's more like a half step. The competition is a little better than Low A. In the case of the Red Sox, the Lowell Spinners are in the New York-Penn League which is Short Season A. The Greenville Drive are part of the Low A South Atlantic League. You promote your better guys from Lowell to Greenville. If a player is ready to move up a level, you promote him to Salem of the Carolina League which is High A. From there they go to Portland and so on. __________________ "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing"-Warren Spahn.

08-11-2018, 08:25 PM	#2
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,884	High-A (or A+) is marginally harder than A. Short season A is the easiest. You should probably consider short season A as "advanced rookie". You can treat A+ and A as the same for all practical purposes, but you will find some players that struggle at A+ and need both levels. Other players can skip one or the other.