The bad news is that it has now been confirmed: the annual prospect-laden Arizona Fall League isn’t happening this year (Baseball America). The 2020 pandemic claims another baseball event.
But the good news is that instructional ball is happening soon, and it’ll be even more of a minor league type experience than usual. The details:
The instructional league is going to be massive this year, especially in Arizona, where all 15 teams are participating.
Here’s the full inter-squad game schedule (teams might have other workouts or intrasquads slated) for that state.https://t.co/vCaqhYPnRE
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) September 21, 2020
This year, instructional ball really is going to have an Instructional League feel to it, with every organization in Arizona sporting a team, playing a schedule, split into two leagues, and the opportunity to play around 20 games.
The Cubs will play 17 games, starting on October 14, and concluding on November 7. Their work, however, will begin closer to October 1, which will give the process something of a Spring Training feel. I can’t wait to find out which Cubs prospects are being included, and whether we’re going to hear some details on how the league is going. It’s basically our only minor league baseball this year, so I’ll take whatever I can get. And obviously so will the Cubs’ prospects.
Nice for those prospects? They’ll actually get paid for instructional ball this year, at their would-have-been minor league rate.