Baseball fans know Spring Training as a time where players and coaches finally reunite after an 100+ day offseason to accomplish the one goal every team has… winning the World Series. Yet, many people do not know how Spring Training really works.
Each of the 30 MLB teams are divided into two leagues during the spring, the Grapefruit and Cactus League. The Grapefruit League plays along the coastlines of Florida, while the Cactus League takes place in Arizona.
These teams will play a minimum of 20 games, and compete for the best record. Games are allowed to end in ties during the spring, assuring every game is nine innings. This is for player safety and ensuring pitchers do not overwork themselves before the regular season.
While the teams compete to win and become the best team in their respective league, it is also important to note that Spring Training is beneficial for the health of the players.
Injury prevention, especially for the biggest superstars in the game such as Jacob deGrom, has become a major topic of discussion over the last few years. As velocities, spin rates, and other analytics are rapidly increasing, so are the number of injuries.
Spring Training allows for players to get prepared for their upcoming season taking steps towards going full throttle, instead of going “0 to 100” come late March.
The Red Sox, who dealt with major injuries in 2023, look to keep their guys healthy and on the field. They are a great example of why Spring Training is so important.
Bringing in key new additions such as Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow, pitching coach Andrew Bailey, pitching directors Justin Williard, and founder of Driveline Baseball Kyle Boddy should help players play at their best while also staying healthy. Manager Alex Cora is also all-in on the organization’s revamped training staff in hopes of keeping his guys healthy.
“It’s about preventing injuries. We want [the player] in there, we want [them] to do the work so we can prevent something bad happening. Gotta give credit to our medical staff and strength and conditioning staff. They do an outstanding job,” Cora said.
Spring Training is also a benefit for the fans, who get to see players up close and personal doing behind the scenes training at their training complexes. Fans can walk around certain areas of the MLB facilities and watch live at-bats, take videos, and even interact with players.
Fans swarmed the Dodgers facility when Japanese phenoms Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto finally arrived at the complex in Dodger blue. Videos were taken left and right, and lucky fans even went home with signed memorabilia.
“I go down to Florida for three days every year to see my team play. It’s outstanding how much access a fan can get, from watching batting practice feeling like you are on field to watching players walk right past you saying hello. It is such a great experience for a baseball fan, especially for someone who does not live relatively close to a team,” Montana State alumni Dwyer Grimes said.
On average, tickets are also much cheaper compared to regular season games, making them more accessible to the public. Seats behind the dugout in Fort Myers, Florida cost around $20-25, where during the regular season can reach up to nearly a couple hundred to even a thousand dollars apiece.
Additionally, the MLB unveiled a brand-new circuit of games where young prospects play in essentially a spring “Futures Game,” called the Spring Breakout Series. Former first round picks like Paul Skeenes, Jackson Holliday, Marcelo Mayer, and Dylan Crews face off against each other in seven inning exhibitions.
Every prospect from a team’s top 30, plus others, will be featured on the field during the circuit. The MLB wanted a way to showcase not just the major league talent, but also the up and coming talent of the future. Fans are absolutely ecstatic about the idea.
“Seeing the next generation of superstars take the field together is one of the best ideas the MLB has come up with in a while. I’m very excited to watch the games,” Penn State undergrad Filippo Formica said.
Watch Spring Training games on your local baseball station, ESPN, or MLB Network starting at 1:05pm EST every day.
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