1957 was the last MLB season that the Dodgers played their home games in Brooklyn,* moving to Los Angeles for the 1958 season. The team’s minor league system that year was enormous, with 14 teams, including memorable names like Kokomo Dodgers, Victoria Rosebuds, Reno Silver Sox, Montreal Royals, Great Falls Electrics, and, of course, the original Los Angeles Angels.

Over the years, the Dodgers have gradually reduced the number of minor league teams to the 2020 level of seven domestic teams: two Arizona Rookie League teams, the full season Pioneer Rookie League Ogden Raptors, the Midwest League Low Single-A Great Lakes Loons, the California League Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, the Texas League Double-A Tulsa Drillers, and the (Double-A), the Pacific Coast League Oklahoma City Dodgers (Triple-A); and two Dominican Republic teams – the maximum allowed by MLB.

In the upcoming 2021 season, MLB teams will be limited to four affiliated domestic minor league teams, with a rumored maximum of 180 players (per J.J. Cooper of Baseball America – subscription required). This will likely include an increase in roster size (currently 25), the potential of loaning players under contract to Independent League teams, and provide for “rookie” teams to only practice and play games at each team’s spring training facility.

The known 2021 Dodgers affiliates will be the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the Tulsa Drillers, and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. And though it has been unofficially reported (rumored) that the Dodgers will end their 13-year affiliation with the Great Lakes Loons of the Low Single-A Midwest League and partner with the Spokane Indians, the Loons, Dodgers, and Indians continue to deny the reports. However, if the California League is indeed being reclassified as Low Single-A as is being widely rumored, the Dodgers maintaining their relationship with the Loons as their new Advanced Single-A affiliate seems improbable and unlikely.

While 42 cities will lose their direct connection to MLB, many will join Independent Leagues and continue to play ball during the spring and summer evenings. Yet it will be significantly different for these cities and their fans, as the players will no longer be Dodgers or other teams’ prospects – just guys playing for the love of the game and the hope of being spotted and signed by a big league scout; reminiscent of days gone by with local community semi-pro teams.

This change makes good business sense for MLB, and rookies may actually develop more quickly, with better facilities, training, nourishment, and coaching at the spring training facilities. Still, there is a sense of loss with the contraction of minor league baseball.

I fondly remember going to Piedmont Boll Weevils (Kannapolis, NC) games and watching Philadelphia Phillies prospects like Ryan Madson and Marlon Byrd playing High-A ball professional baseball. The ballpark, Fieldcrest Stadium, was small (typical attendance was around 2,000) and well maintained. The food and drinks were good quality and reasonably priced for a family outing, with kids running about the stadium. There were between-inning contests for younger fans, and kids got to run the bases after the games. But it took a new $52 million ballpark to keep the team (now named the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers) from being one of the 42 soon-to-be contracted teams.

Times change, often for the best. But for the towns that will no longer have minor league professional baseball, there is a significant loss of community that is not easily replaced.

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