IN a move that has been expected for months, Minor League Baseball in the United States officially canceled its 2020 season Tuesday — after the coronavirus pandemic turned this year’s Major League Baseball (MLB) season upside-down.

The move leaves thousands of minor leaguers without a team to play for in 2020. Most of the top prospects for each franchise have been placed on the 60-man taxi squad rosters, which could accelerate their path to the big leagues, but many more are now left to wonder what their futures will be like in baseball.

Likewise, many minor-league stadiums across America, and the people whose livelihoods would usually come from them, have seen the worst-case scenario confirmed — there will be no baseball for them in 2020.

According to Baseball America, the expectation is that minor leaguers whose contracts are suspended for the season will be allowed to participate in types of indie leagues, but they may be risking their deals if they suffer injuries in those other leagues.(SD-Agencies)