Update: Minor League Baseball Denies Franchise Downsizing

Minor League Baseball has just come forward to challenge a report released earlier today that suggests that 25 percent of their franchises may be eliminated in 2021.

Associated Press reported that minor league teams are prepared to agree to Major League Baseball's proposal to cut their guaranteed affiliations from 160 to 120 next year.The Missoulian cites MiLB sources that say the reports are largely inaccurate and that there have been no agreements on reducing the number of minor league teams.

MLB proposed the reduction of 40 teams last year as part of a new Professional Baseball Agreement. That would have included all the teams in the Pioneer League, including the Missoula PaddleHeads. The current agreement is set to expire at the end of 2020. The new proposal would take effect prior to the 2021 season.

A video conference and more negotiations are scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday). These negotiations just got more interesting.