What MLB Draft League does

The MLB Draft League is a six-team summer baseball league founded in 2021 and operated under MLB Professional Development Leagues, LLC through its legal entity Middle Atlantic League, Inc. It runs a split-season format: a 30-game amateur first half (June 2 – July 5, 2026) featuring draft-eligible players from NCAA Division I–III, NAIA, junior colleges, and high school seniors, followed by a 50-game professional second half (July 8 – Sept. 1, 2026) for college graduates and former affiliated players who receive housing, meals, travel, and weekly compensation. The league serves two primary downstream audiences: all 30 MLB clubs (the B2B scouting consumer of its data and video) and baseball fans across its five-state Mid-Atlantic and Northeast footprint (NJ, MD, OH, PA, WV).

The product is built on a stack of professional scouting and analytics tools — Trackman for ball-tracking, Synergy for game video, and Rapsodo for granular pitching and hitting measurement — whose data and video are shared directly with all 30 MLB clubs and their scouts. All games are played in former Minor League stadiums (formerly New York-Penn, Carolina, South Atlantic, and Eastern League venues) and streamed live free on the league website and on MLB.com Video on Demand via AWRE TV. Surrounding the core competition are real-time player statistics and standings data products, historical database products (Draft History, UDFA Signings, Alumni in the Majors, Past Champions, Players of the Week), weekly editorial content (Prospect Reports, Data Darlings, Alumni Reports), and league merchandise sold through the Baseball Collective e-commerce storefront.

Revenue is generated across four streams: ticket sales and stadium revenue at each of the six team ballparks; stadium naming rights and corporate sponsorships (e.g., IBEW Local 24 naming rights at Aberdeen); merchandise sold via Baseball Collective; and an operating subsidy from Major League Baseball routed through MLB Professional Development Leagues, LLC. Pricing is structured so player participation is free, game streaming is free to viewers, and ticket pricing is set independently by each of the six clubs. The league is effectively a development feeder for MLB rather than a stand-alone profitable entity. Since 2021, it has produced 233 MLB Draft picks across 2021-2025, 180+ undrafted free agent signings, 15 purchased contracts from the professional half, and 16+ MLB alumni debuts across 2024-2026, with 2025 league-wide attendance of 612,122.

Name

MLB Draft League

Legal name

Middle Atlantic League, Inc.

Website

https://mlbdraftleague.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The MLB Draft League is a six-team summer baseball league operated by MLB Professional Development Leagues, LLC. It runs a split-season format showcasing draft-eligible amateurs and paid professionals across five US states, distributing Trackman, Synergy, and Rapsodo scouting data directly to all 30 MLB clubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Minor League Baseball

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Baseball & Softball Leagues (MPAKAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sport-Specific Amateur Leagues & Circuits (Non-Professional) (MPAKACAJ), Season-Long Fantasy Platforms & Commissioners (MPAEAHAB)

Keywords

• Summer baseball league
• Amateur showcase competition
• Baseball scouting analytics
• Draft development league
• Minor league baseball

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales and stadium revenue: Each of the six teams sells single-game tickets, season seat memberships, group outings, flex packs, and hosts non-baseball events at former Minor League stadiums. Aberdeen IronBirds operates via Glitnir ticketing; 2026 attendance indicates Trenton drew 67,952 (5,663 avg) and Mahoning Valley drew 30,918 (2,577 avg).
2. Stadium naming rights and corporate sponsorships: Naming rights deals (e.g., Aberdeen IronBirds' IBEW Local 24 Union Field at Ripken Stadium) and corporate partnership programs generate league and team revenue.
3. Merchandise sales via Baseball Collective: League-branded gear (hats, t-shirts, hoodies, alternate identity merchandise) sold through the Baseball Collective e-commerce storefront, linked from the league navigation.
4. MLB/parent organization funding: Operated by MLB Professional Development Leagues, LLC; effectively subsidized by Major League Baseball as a development/feeder league rather than a stand-alone profitable entity. Professional-half players receive housing, meals, and weekly compensation funded by the league.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The MLB Draft League is a six-team summer baseball league that operates a split-season format: a First Half (June-July) featuring amateur draft-eligible players (NCAA Division I-III, NAIA, JUCO, graduating high school seniors) who play 30 games unpaid to gain scouting exposure, and a Second Half (July-September) featuring professional players who have exhausted amateur eligibility, playing 50 games and receiving housing, meals, travel, and weekly compensation. All games are played in former Minor League stadiums with Trackman, Synergy, and Rapsodo analytics data and scouting video distributed to all 30 MLB clubs and their scouts.

Product overview

The MLB Draft League is a six-team summer baseball league operated under a platform-plus-modules architecture: the core product is a split-season amateur-to-professional showcase competition (split into a First Half for Draft-eligible amateurs and a Second Half for paid professionals, both built around six franchise sub-products — the Aberdeen IronBirds, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, State College Spikes, Trenton Thunder, West Virginia Black Bears, and Williamsport Crosscutters), with surrounding modules including a free live-streaming/VOD product, real-time player statistics and standings data products, a suite of historical database products (Draft History, UDFA Signings, Alumni in the Majors, Past Champions), a weekly Player of the Week/Month awards program, league-produced editorial content (weekly previews, prospect reports, data standouts, alumni reports), and a linked merchandise storefront via Baseball Collective. All games are played in former Minor League stadiums and streamed on the league website, with Trackman, Synergy, and Rapsodo data shared with athletes, college coaches, and all 30 MLB clubs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aberdeen IronBirds: One of the six teams of the MLB Draft League, based in Aberdeen, Maryland, playing at IBEW Local 24 Union Field at Ripken Stadium.
• Mahoning Valley Scrappers
• State College Spikes
• Trenton Thunder
• West Virginia Black Bears
• Williamsport Crosscutters

Products and services

• MLB Draft League Season (First Half) Amateur summer showcase competition for draft-eligible college and high school players (June 2 - July 5, 2026). Each team plays 30 games at former Minor League stadiums. Players are unpaid and cover their own travel to the start date; the league shares analytics and video with all 30 MLB clubs to support draft exposure.
• MLB Draft League Season (Second Half) Professional development competition for college graduates, players who have exhausted amateur eligibility, and former affiliated players (July 8 - September 1, 2026). Each team plays 50 games; players receive housing, meals, travel, and weekly compensation, with scouting data shared with all 30 MLB clubs.
• MLB Draft League Championship Game Annual championship game between the first-half and second-half winners, hosted by the first-half champion. The 2026 Championship Game is scheduled for September 2, 2026.
• MLB Draft League International Series Annual international exhibition series featuring national teams (Canada and Mexico in 2026) playing nine games each against MLB Draft League competition, extending the league's geographic reach into North America.
• MLB Draft League Live Streaming and Video on Demand Free live video streaming of all MLB Draft League regular-season games plus on-demand video, accessible through the league website (AWRE TV) and MLB.com. No paywall; designed to give scouts and fans broad access to all league games.
• MLB Draft League Player Statistics and Standings Real-time and historical hitting/pitching statistics with First Half and Year-to-Date splits, sortable leaderboards, and complete league standings (wins, losses, run differential, expected W/L, home/away splits, next game info).
• MLB Draft League Draft History Archive Searchable historical database of every MLB Draft League player (2021-2025) selected in the MLB Draft, including round, pick, MLB team, position, school, and originating Draft League team.
• MLB Draft League Undrafted Free Agent and Indy Ball Signings Archive Searchable archive of post-Draft undrafted free agent signings and independent-league placements from 2021-2025, including position, Draft League team, school, and signing organization.
• MLB Draft League Alumni in the Majors Archive Catalog of MLB Draft League alumni who have reached Major League Baseball, organized by debut year (2024, 2025, 2026), listing MLB debut date, MLB team, and originating Draft League team.
• MLB Draft League Past Champions Archive Year-by-year listing of MLB Draft League champions and runners-up from the 2021 inaugural season through 2025, noting first-half versus second-half title winners.
• MLB Draft League Player of the Week/Month Awards Weekly and monthly awards program recognizing top hitters and pitchers across all six MLB Draft League teams, operating each season since 2022.
• MLB Draft League News and Editorial Content League-produced editorial content including weekly previews, weekly roundups, prospect reports (pitchers and hitters), Data Darlings data features, and alumni reports, distributed via the league website and social media.
• MLB Draft League Team Merchandise (Baseball Collective Storefront) Official MLB Draft League and team merchandise including hats, t-shirts, hoodies, and alternate identity gear, sold through the Baseball Collective e-commerce storefront (shopbaseballcollective.com) linked from the league navigation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 233 players selected in the MLB Draft from 2021-2025
• +5 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship annual partner, core operational partner, core e-commerce partner, flagship team-level partner, core distribution partner, parent entity, seasonal international partner, apparel licensing partner and operational ticketing vendor.

• STADIONIC / Netting Professionalsflagship annual partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MLB Draft League announced the renewal of its partnership with STADIONIC, Netting Professionals for the 2026 season, naming them the league's official netting and facility solutions partner. Featured as a footer sponsor with logo placement on the league site.
• Prep Baseball Reportcore operational partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrep Baseball Report co-administers the MLB Draft League player and on-field staff interest form and the player recommendation process via the email [email protected] and a Qualtrics form. PBP is identified as a credential issuer in the league's terms.
• Baseball Collectivecore e-commerce partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial merchandise partner operating shopbaseballcollective.com where the league and team gear (hats, t-shirts, hoodies, alternate identity merchandise) is sold. The MLB Draft League navigation includes a Shop link directly to Baseball Collective with tracked UTM parameters.
• IBEW Local 24flagship team-level partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerAberdeen IronBirds naming rights partner; ballpark renamed IBEW Local 24 Union Field at Ripken Stadium for the 2026 season. Logo and link featured on the IronBirds website.
• AWRE TVcore distribution partnerTechnology or IntegrationLive-streaming broadcast partner; all MLB Draft League games are labeled 'Watch on: AWRE TV' on the scoreboard and schedule pages, providing the streaming distribution layer for every regular-season game.
• MLB (Major League Baseball) / MLB Professional Development Leagues, LLCparent entityStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperated by MLB Professional Development Leagues, LLC; MLB Draft League is officially sanctioned by Major League Baseball with all MLB Draft League and MLB-related trademarks held by the applicable MLB Entities (Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, MLB Advanced Media, etc.). Source of all player recruitment, scouting data distribution to all 30 MLB clubs, and overall governance.
• Baseball Canada (Junior National Team) and Mexican National Teamseasonal international partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Baseball Canada's Junior National Team in 2025; in 2026, the International Series (June 12-21) features Canadian and Mexican national teams playing nine games each against Draft League competition as visiting teams.
• Nikeapparel licensing partnerOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMLB partners with Nike for City Connect and Jackie Robinson Day apparel programs (e.g., Pirates City Connect jersey and Jackie Robinson Day commemoration referenced in 2026 coverage).
• Glitnir Ticketingoperational ticketing vendorTechnology or IntegrationAberdeen IronBirds ticket platform (sb1.glitnirticketing.com) for single-game tickets, season memberships, and 5-Game Flex Pack purchases.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cape Cod Baseball League: Premier amateur summer collegiate league with a split-season format, often considered the gold-standard showcase for draft-eligible college players. Most directly comparable to the MLB Draft League's first-half amateur showcase in terms of player target, MLB-scout visibility, and summer-collegiate positioning.
• Northwoods League: Top-tier summer collegiate baseball league with paid players and strong attendance, operating a showcase-style format in the upper Midwest. Directly competes with the MLB Draft League for draft-eligible amateur talent and fan attention during the summer.
• Pioneer League: Independently operated professional baseball league since 2021 with MLB partner-league status; comparable to the MLB Draft League's professional second-half in serving post-college and former-affiliated players seeking a development bridge.
• Appalachian League: MLB-anchored summer collegiate league operating since 2021 as a Prospect Development Pipeline partner; runs a wood-bat showcase format similar to the MLB Draft League's first half and shares the MLB feeder mandate.
• American Association of Professional Baseball: Independent professional baseball league with teams across the Midwest and Texas; directly comparable to the MLB Draft League's professional half as a destination for former affiliated and college-graduate players.
• Texas Collegiate League: Summer collegiate league for draft-eligible college players, providing wood-bat showcase competition; competes with the MLB Draft League's amateur first-half for talent and exposure in the South-Central U.S.
• Atlantic League: Independent professional baseball league featuring high-level post-college and former-affiliated players; competes for the same professional-half talent pool and provides an alternative developmental pathway.
• Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League: Perfect Game's collegiate summer league and showcase circuit; directly comparable in operating showcase-style summer competition for draft-eligible players with analytics and scouting emphasis.

Broad incumbents

• New York-Penn League (legacy): Former Short-Season Class A affiliated league whose stadiums and franchises were largely repurposed into the MLB Draft League; the direct institutional predecessor and most relevant historical benchmark for the league's operations.
• Florida State League: Affiliated Class A-Advanced Minor League that historically fed MLB rosters; comparable as an MLB-affiliated developmental circuit though at a higher level than the MLB Draft League's professional second half.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mlbdraftleague
• Instagraminstagram.com/MLBDraftLeague
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MLB Draft League