THE FASTER TRACK

In the 2020s, future big leaguers are spending less development time lin the minor leagues

- by JJ COOPER

Slugger Nick Kurtz spent just 32 games in the minor leagues

Baseball players generally throw harder, hit the ball harder and run faster than they did a decade ago. They also are moving a lot more quickly through the minor leagues. We're not just talking about anecdotal examples. Yes, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz barely touched the minors on his way to winning 2025 American League Rookie of the Year. Paul Skenes’ instant success with the Pirates led to questions about whether he needed 34 minor league innings as a prelude.

But it’s not just a player here or there. Across all MLB teams, players are spending less time in the minors. The entire development process has changed. Now, we're seeing players go from draft or signing day to a big league roster at record rates.

In the late 2010s, the typical progression for a college first-round hitter was to get a brief stint in Rookie or short-season Class A ball in his signing year to acclimate to the pro game before being sent to Low-A. In his first full season the following spring, he would open at High-A to determine whether he was worthy of an in-season promotion to Double-A.

In most cases, even elite college hitters in the 2010s, such as Kris Bryant or Anthony Rendon, would spend their entire second pro seasons in the minor leagues.

Today, time in Rookie ball is often nonexistent for first-round college hitters. Low-A is either a quick stop or skipped entirely. Where High-A used to be a three- to four-month stint, it is now a two-month layover.

Reaching MLB in that second pro season is not at all out of the question. Kurtz did it. So did Zach Neto, Jacob Wilson and Cam Smith.

Taken all together, college first-round hitters in the 2020s are getting an average of 300 fewer plate appearances at Class A and below than they did from 2016 to 2020, dropping from 600 PAs to just under 300.