Major League Baseball has reached an agreement with the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) to make them the first ‘Partner League’ to the MLB. This partnership allows the ALPB to continue to be the testing grounds for new rules and initiatives that could change the way the game of baseball looks at the highest level.
According to a statement that was released on the website of the Sugar Land Skeeters (one of the ALPB teams), this new agreement extends the partnership of the leagues through the 2023 season:
As a Partner League, ALPB will meet regularly with MLB to discuss joint marketing and promotional opportunities, including the leagues’ shared goal of providing baseball to communities throughout the United States. This designation expands the current agreement between the leagues which permits MLB to test experimental playing rules and equipment during Atlantic League games.
Last year, the ALPB was used to experiment with the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), which used radar technology to call balls and strikes. Among other rules that were tested in the ALBP were limits on defensive shifts, mound visits, inning breaks, as well as the use of larger bases.
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is an eight-team league that was founded in 1998. In 2019, the Long Island Ducks won the league championship behind the leadership of manager and former Met great Wally Backman.
