Development Pipeline joint effort between MLB and USA Baseball. The way I’ve read it is they want the Appy League to become what the Cape Cod League is today, but for players who are rising Sophomores (whereas Cape Cod is nearly all rising Juniors).

Frederick is part of the new Draft League which will roster players that are draft eligible for that year’s MLB draft (so, college players that just completed their Junior years but who are not playing in the NCAAT). Would also include Seniors and JUCO players.

So, theoretically, a player that does not sign with MLB out of high school could advance in these wood bat Summer Leagues by going Appy—Cape Cod—Draft League.

It’s better than what happened with the Pioneer and Frontier short season leagues. They’re limited to undrafted players that have finished college or players that have been released from their minor league teams. Maybe they’ll find that there are enough 1st and 2nd year college players from schools out West to turn those into Pipeline leagues as well. But, that’s not the plan right now as I understand it.
[Post edited by CT Wahoo at 12/11/2020 1:04PM]