Explaining The Tricky League
Baseball America|October 2019
The informal Dominican league helps recently signed Latin American prospects prepare for pro ball
Ben Badler
Explaining The Tricky League

When draft picks sign, they typically play right away.

High school players usually go to a Rookie-level complex league in Arizona or Florida, while a college player might spend his summer with a more advanced short-season team in the New York-Penn or Northwest league.

For international prospects, July 2 is when 16-year-old players are eligible to sign. But unlike draft picks in the united states, those players aren't eligible to play in official games until the following year. That’s because Minor League Baseball rules stipulate that players must turn 17 by the end of the minor league season to be eligible.

At the age of 16, it’s remarkable how much players can change in a span of a few months. With the Dominican Summer League opening 11 months after these players sign on July 2, that’s nearly a full year of development that can take place before they play their first official pro games.

So when Latin American players sign on July 2, what do they do for the next year?

For many players, their introduction to professional baseball comes in the informal Tricky League. While it’s not an official league like the DSL, the Tricky League is similar to the instructional league and opens on July 15 and runs for six weeks through late August. Games are staged at clubs’ academies in the Dominican Republic, mostly in Santo Domingo and Boca Chica.

Sixteen teams participate in the Tricky League, with clubs playing two to four games per week from Monday through Friday. Teams keep stats on their own players, but there isn’t a centralized, official accounting of stats, nor are there league standings or playoffs. The Tricky League is a versatile tool for clubs, but its primary purpose is for teams to get their 2019 signings playing in games as soon as possible.

This story is from the October 2019 edition of Baseball America.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2019 edition of Baseball America.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BASEBALL AMERICAView All
NOBODY'S PERFECT
Baseball America

NOBODY'S PERFECT

No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday has one flaw in an otherwise airtight profile

time-read
4 mins  |
March/April 2024
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
Baseball America

ORGANIZATION REPORTS

At nearly every level of his professional career, outfielder Colton Cowser has taken time to acclimate. His major league debut last season was no different.

time-read
10+ mins  |
March/April 2024
ORGANIZATION TALENT RANKINGS
Baseball America

ORGANIZATION TALENT RANKINGS

For the second consecutive year, the Orioles enter the season with the best farm system in baseball.

time-read
10 mins  |
March/April 2024
WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH NEW ROSTER LIMITS
Baseball America

WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH NEW ROSTER LIMITS

No one can fully predict what will happen with the reduced 165-player minor league roster limits, but baseball officials weighed in with predictions for 2024, some of which we heard repeatedly.

time-read
5 mins  |
March/April 2024
NO MORE SLACK IN THE SYSTEM
Baseball America

NO MORE SLACK IN THE SYSTEM

The in domestic minor leagues creates consternation for farm directors

time-read
6 mins  |
March/April 2024
INTERNATIONAL TREASURES
Baseball America

INTERNATIONAL TREASURES

Why MLB teams value foreign professionals more than ever

time-read
10+ mins  |
March/April 2024
HIGH-FLYING BIRDS
Baseball America

HIGH-FLYING BIRDS

Learning from past success and failure in Houston, Mike Elias and his united front office remade the Orioles into winners— and they got there ahead of schedule

time-read
10+ mins  |
March/April 2024
ARIZONA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Baseball America

ARIZONA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10

Early promotions of star prospects led to a bit of a down season for the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2023
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Baseball America

FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10

Even before the Rookie-level Florida Complex League season began, scouts who saw extended spring training gushed over the Yankees' talent, starting with shortstop Roderick Arias and 6-foot7 pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange. Outfielder John Cruz mashed 10 home runs as a 17-year-old.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2023
SALAS COULD BE SPECIAL
Baseball America

SALAS COULD BE SPECIAL

When Ethan Salas arrived in the California League on May 30, he immediately displayed talent well beyond his years.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2023