Major League Baseball announced on Thursday afternoon that they’ll begin testing of a variety of experimental playing rules at various levels of the minor leagues during the upcoming season.
Per MLB’s official release, the new rules are designed “to increase action on the basepaths, create more balls in play, improve the pace and length of games, and reduce player injuries.”
Here’s a look at the new rules that will be tested out across the different minor-league levels, including larger bases, an “Automatic” strike zone, and limits on defensive shifts…
– At the Triple-A level, the size of first, second, and third base will be increased from 15 square inches to 18 square inches with the league looking to limit collisions around the bags.
“The Competition Committee also expects the shorter distances between bases created by increased size to have a modest impact on the success rate of stolen base attempts and the frequency with which a batter-runner reaches base on groundballs and bunt attempts,” the release reads.
– In Double-A ball, teams will be limited in how they deploy defensive shifts.
“The defensive team must have a minimum of four players on the infield, each of whom must have both feet completely in front of the outer boundary of the infield dirt. Depending on the preliminary results of this experimental rule change, MLB may require two infielders to be positioned entirely on each side of second base in the second half of the Double-A season,” says the league.
– At the High-A level, pitchers will be required to “disengage the rubber prior to throwing to any base, with the penalty of a balk in the event the pitcher fails to comply,” which should promote more stolen base attempts.
– The Low-A leagues will be experimenting with some of the most drastic rule changes, including an “Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS) for the Low-A Southeast teams that aims “to assist home plate umpires with calling balls and strikes, ensure a consistent strike zone is called, and determine the optimal strike zone for the system.”
Meanwhile, all Low-A teams will have their pitchers limited to two “step offs” or “pickoff” attempts per plate appearance when there is at least one runner on. If a pitcher attempts a third pickoff and the runner gets back safely, the result will be a balk, moving all runners up a base.
Low-A West teams will also have on-field timers designed to improve overall pace of play.
“We are listening to our fans. This effort is an important step towards bringing to life rules changes aimed at creating more action and improving the pace of play,” said Michael Hill, MLB Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations. “These experimental playing rules have been approved by the Competition Committee and the Playing Rules Committee to be tested and analyzed in a highly competitive environment.”
“These experimental rules are designed to put more balls in play, create more excitement on the basepaths and increase the impact of speed and athleticism on the field,” said Raúl Ibañez, MLB Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations. “As another important goal of the rules approved by the Competition Committee and the Playing Rules Committee, we expect the new larger bases to increase player safety. We look forward to testing these rules in the Minor Leagues.”
“The game on the field is constantly evolving, and MLB must be thoughtful and intentional about progressing toward the very best version of baseball – a version that is true to its essence and has enough consistent action and athleticism on display to entertain fans of all ages,” said Theo Epstein, Consultant to MLB. “These rules experiments will provide valuable insight into various ways to create a playing environment that encourages the most entertaining version of the game. What we learn in the Minor Leagues this year will be essential in helping all parties chart the right path forward for baseball.”