In recent years, the Kansas City Royals have sent draft selections to Surprise, Arizona. The team’s operations there are used to spring training, Complex League play, and Instructional League. Many of this year’s draft selections are now there, getting their professional careers kickstarted.
However, there’s a wrinkle this summer that hasn’t existed in years past. Before 2021, many draft picks would spend their early professional careers in short-season ball. Those leagues were known as Rookie ball. When the minor leagues were reduced prior to the 2021 season, the Royals (and the rest of baseball) lost that Rookie ball affiliate. For Kansas City, it was the Idaho Falls Chukars. Alec Marsh spent time with the Chukars after being drafted in 2019.
After 2021, teams were left with just the Complex League and Instructs. Last season, for example, 2023-draftees debuted in the Complex before moving up to Low-A. The Complex League season wrapped up in late August and gave those players a transition period. Now, into 2024, the system has changed once again. This year, the Complex League season was shifted up a month. The schedule wrapped up back on July 25. So where does that leave this year’s crop of draft talent?
2024’s new “Bridge League” sees Caglianone debut
Without the Complex League, this year’s Royals draftees (along with prospects, such as Ramon Ramirez) are playing in a new “Bridge League.” It’s the first year of the league, but it’s more or less just Instructional League. The games are unofficial. That means you won’t see box scores, or statistics on FanGraphs like you would Complex games. The games also aren’t live streamed on Instagram.
Alas, the only real way to follow the league is to lean on social media, and those currently in Arizona able to share footage. Such as this yesterday from Jerry Espinoza on Twitter:
Caglianone finished the day with a single and a double. His double reportedly went to the right field wall. How long prospects will remain in the Bridge League is yet to be seen. The slate runs into early September. If recent years are any indication we could see Caglianone make his way to a full-season affiliate by next week. Many of the college hitters in recent years have only spent a handful of games in the Complex League before moving up to Low-A or High-A.
