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The MLB Draft League has wrapped up their first half of the season as the league took a break from the 13th through the 15th for the MLB amateur draft. A new team sits atop the MLB draft league. The State College Spikes have clinched the playoffs. They won the first half title with a 17-12 overall record. This marks the team’s first playoff appearance in this league. Their last came in 2016 with the Single A New York-Penn League.
The MLB Draft league began play in 2021 after the MLB’s reorganization of the MiLB in 2020. Many of the teams were former MiLB teams with preexisting markets and fanbases. The draft league in the first half of the season acts as a platform for draft eligible players to showcase their abilities. The second half of the season the league acts as an independent league with paid professional players who have exhausted their amateur eligibility.
In this year’s MLB Draft 48 players were drafted from the Draft League. 34 of those players were pitchers. The first of which was pitcher Miguel Sime Jr. from the Trenton Thunder. Sime Jr. was drafted in the fourth round by the Washington Nationals. Overall the Frederick Keys had the most players drafted with eleven being taken. The Thunder had the most pitchers selected at eight.
The league currently contains six teams in five states. But the league plans on expanding in the future. Historically three teams have dominated the league, the Trenton Thunder, the West Virginia Black Bears, and the Williamsport Crosscutters. However, this year the Spikes and Ohio’s Mahoning Valley Scrappers sit at the top. While the Spikes clinched the playoffs at 17-12. The Scrappers were half a game back at 17-13. The Scrappers last playoff appearance came in 2018 in the New York-Penn League.
The Blackbears, who play in Morgantown, sit at third place at 16-13. Every Monday the team plays as their alternate identity, the Morgantown Moonshiners. The team had a championship hangover finishing last in 2024 after winning the championships in 2022 and 2023.
The Trenton Thunder were a Double A team before the reorganization of the MiLB and won the draft league’s first championship in 2021. The team has finished as the runner-up the previous two season and right now are 15-17
The Frederick Keys have struggled in the first half of the season. However, in the league’s short history the Key’s have historically been a strong second half team. Right now the Key’s are 14-18 only 4.5 games back from 1st place.
Currently in last place is the Williamsport Crosscutters. The Crosscutters are the defending league champs and show how competitive the league is. Right now, the Crosscutters are 12-18. They are currently on a 11-game losing streak. Their last win came on June 29th over the Keys.
The league comes back on July 16th with three matchups. The Trenton Thunder faces the Williamsport Crosscutters. The West Virginia Blackbears square off with the State College Spikes. Lastly, the Frederick Keys travel to face the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
To support your local team visit their schedule at 2025 MLB Draft League Season Schedule | MLB Draft League.
Author Profile
- A Marietta College Student with three years of journalism experience writing for Marietta's Marcolian Online Newspaper. He was promoted to Editor in Chief of the Marcolian in 2023. A Pittsburgh native, he covers sports from the Pittsburgh region as well as Ohio and West Virginia.
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