The batter enters the box. The dirt under his cleats feels right and his uniform feels loose. As the pitcher unleashes his pitch, the ball looks like a watermelon, each seam visible and the spin obvious so the hitter knows when and where to swing.That must have been what it

Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken to reach the brink of realizing his Major League dream. Here's a look at Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Gavin Lux. It isn't a question of if the Dodgers will call up Gavin Lux -- their top prospect -- for

Travis Swaggerty spent five Grapefruit League innings in center field this spring, during which he had his arm tested just once by a bases-loaded fly ball. On Feb. 23, in the sixth inning against the Tigers, he unloaded a maximum-effort throw that convinced the runner on third base to not

It began with one person. One person became two. Two became more and more until suddenly, an entire community was united by one desire: to make a difference.With the Minor League Baseball season on pause as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, teams across the country have been hard at

Kevin Cron was in the same boat as many players in Major League camps on March 12. He saw the news that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert had tested positive for the coronavirus, causing the NBA to suspend its season, and knew MLB soon would follow. The league canceled Spring

In 2018, Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB) and its Copa de la Diversión® (Fun Cup™) initiative began a partnership with the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) to develop the ¡Adiós Lupus! campaign, an in-ballpark and digital campaign designed to raise awareness of lupus among Hispanic communities and the entire MiLB fan

Last week, we highlighted an array of unique to-go concession items being offered by Minor League teams. Today, it's time for seconds.What follows is another roundup of curbside cuisine available at Minor League Baseball ballparks across the country. In these trying times, such endeavors allow teams to perform a community

When Bill Klem died in September 1951, Pepper Martin was among the honorary pallbearers for the legendary umpire. The duo had long been linked in baseball history -- for starters, Klem officiated all seven of the 1931 World Series games that cemented Martin's place in the annals of the sport,

Check out the latest episode of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review "The Show Before the Show" on iTunes. The podcast is also available via

Jeter Downs is no stranger to uncertain times.The top Red Sox prospect was embarking on the challenge of joining his third organization in the last two years this spring. Of course, that was before baseball was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic. But while teams, players and fans anxiously wait on

When it comes to size, scope and longevity, few, if any, sporting bodies can rival Minor League Baseball. With 160 teams in nearly as many markets, there are innumerable nooks and crannies to explore. This marks the second installment in a series dedicated to such explorations, providing one unique, weird,

The 2020 First-Year Player Draft is coming, and without regular-season baseball being played yet due to the coronavirus pandemic, it could be the first big Major League Baseball event of the summer. The 2020 edition is likely to be held on June 10 and be as little as five rounds,

In recent weeks, MiLB.com went to the movies, tuned into TV shows, watched worthwhile documentaries and turned the pages of books that spotlight the quintessential qualities of Minor League Baseball. Fans chimed in with what else could have made the list for films, television, documentaries and books. Now we turn

Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken to reach the brink of realizing his Major League dream. Here's a look at Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco. He's 19. He hasn't met much of a challenge yet in professional baseball. He's moved rapidly through

There's always an extra buzz in the ballpark when an established big leaguer heads to the Minor Leagues for a rehab assignment.It's even more special when that player returns to a city that served as one of the rungs on the ladder he climbed on his way to The Show.

Bryce Ball wasn't even thinking of himself at first. As news was breaking first that college baseball was suspended and later that it was canceled for the entire spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, his mind wandered to his former teammates at Dallas Baptist University. After only 16 games, the

With four teams -- Double-A Tennessee and Class A Bowling Green, Burlington and Columbia -- set to introduce bat dogs to an already impressive roster when the 2020 season begins, it's not unusual to encounter a good boy or girl when you visit a Minor League ballpark.Other species are a different

The Altoona Curve's signature concession item isn't a hyper-specific regional delicacy, nor is it an over-the-top gut buster. It's the Curve Burger, simple yet satisfying, a juicy cheeseburger served fresh off the grill and accompanied by a bag of Martin's potato chips.

Check out the latest episode of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review "The Show Before the Show" on iTunes. The podcast is also available via

Though baseball has been underway in Asia for weeks with Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League well into its season, the spring got a little brighter and warmer this week as the 10-team Korea Baseball Organization kicked off its 2020 campaign. Though the KBO is playing in empty stadiums, its Opening

Former players swear he was the hardest thrower they had ever seen. He never stepped foot on a Major League mound and was out of the sport well before his 30th birthday. His name doesn't conjure many, if any, memories for casual fans.It's not a stretch to say most baseball

The scientific method ends with a conclusion. Consider this that conclusion. Toolshed spent the previous six Tuesdays formulating and dissecting the perfect lineup of prospects for each major age group. Eligibility for each set was determined by a player's age coming up on June 30, roughly the midpoint of a regular

When it comes to size, scope and longevity, few, if any, sporting bodies can rival Minor League Baseball. With 160 teams in nearly as many markets, there are innumerable nooks and crannies to explore. This marks the first installment in a series dedicated to such explorations, providing one unique, weird,

A player debut -- be it season, level, club or organization -- comes with a variety of emotions. Faced with unfamiliar surroundings, prospects often admit to being nervous or anxious while being geared up to prove themselves in front of new coaches and teammates. Of course, sometimes they're just exhausted

Tommy Wilson was newly wed to wife Vanessa when he checked into a Port St. Lucie rental unit at the start of training camp.In 2020, the Mets right-hander was supposed to build on the successes that catapulted him to Double-A in his first full Minor League season. But of course,